I’ve done many straight legged deadlifts with kettlebells or dumbbells, but until yesterday I had never done a conventional deadlift with a barbell. I’ve seen a lot of videos of people doing it recently and wanted to add it to my repertoire at the gym. We did 5 or 6 sets of this move to try to really nail down proper form before we start adding weight. This is the final set, and the one that felt best to me. I also did more reps than on any of my previous attempts. For me, deadlifts work best with an alternating grip and when I engage my hamstrings before lifting. By straightening my legs and then returning them to a bent location, I’m able to focus my power into my legs which helps me maintain proper form. I’m pretty happy that I was able to do 135 pounds for my first attempt, and am excited to see how heavy my futures PRs will be.