Tip Neck Position and the Deadlift Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Alpha LifeOpinion Tip Neck Position and the Deadlift Look up or look down Here' s Tony G ' s take on that by Tony Gentilcore November 6, 2018June 7, 2021 Tags Deadlift, Opinion, Powerlifting & Strength, Strong Words, Tips The Right Neck Position This is a hotly debated topic and I can appreciate both sides of the argument. Here's my take and what has worked well for me and my clients. (I'm not saying I'm right, but I kinda am.) Maintaining a "neutral" spine during a deadlift is paramount. It's the first commandment of deadlifting. Neutral in this sense means "maintaining the spine's natural lordotic (lower back) and kyphotic (upper back) curvature." Coaches will start hyperventilating into a paper bag if they see an athlete round his or her back during a deadlift. Okay, so why do we not hold the same standard to the cervical spine or neck? Is the neck not part of the spine? I prefer people adopt a chin-tucked or "packed" neck position: A chin-tucked position reinforces the neutral spine, which the neck is part of. I understand the other side of the argument. There are many examples of people extending their head back during a deadlift (i.e. a not-packed neck) and they've been fine. But in the beginning stages, a packed neck is my preference. Then as someone grows more proficient with the movement they're allotted more leeway. Besides, what often happens during a max effort attempt – extended neck, and yes, sometimes a rounded back – should not be held to the same standard as a sub-maximal attempt or to someone just learning the lift. In terms of how to cue the proper neck position, I like to have lifters stare at a target 10-15 feet in front of them on the floor. This helps with better neck position and actually helps increase full-body tension. Win-win. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Alpha Life The Truth About Waist Trainers Figure and bikini competitors use them. Celebrities endorse them. But what's really happening to the body when squeems are used? Here's the nasty truth. For Women, Health & Longevity, Living Better John Romano April 28 Alpha Life T-man Vs E-man The Armory: Anti-Estrogens and Aromatase Inhibitors Living Better, Pharma, TRT Cy Willson March 30 Alpha Life Tip Take Cold Showers for a Week Shake off a bad mood with frigid water. Get your energy and motivation up instantly. Health & Longevity, Living Better, Motivation, Tips Dani Shugart July 15 Alpha Life Avoid the Enablers The world is full of enablers that make you feel good about yourself while ultimately turning you into a sucky human being. Avoid these people like the plague. Motivation, Opinion, Powerful Words, Strong Words Jim Wendler August 2