Squat, deadlift and press: 5 technique mistakes and how to fix them

Almost every injury and plateau in the gym starts the same way: technique that breaks down when the weight or the fatigue goes up. The good news is that the most common mistakes are fixed with a couple of adjustments and, often, by lowering the load a little. Here are the five I see most, with the sign to spot each one and how to fix it.

Short answer: knees track in the direction of the toes, heels stay down, you breathe out on the effort, the back stays stable in the deadlift, and the shoulders do not rise to the ears in the press. If you cannot control one of them, lower the load and the depth until it is clean. Technique first, weight second.

1. Do your knees cave inward in the squat?

When the knees collapse inward (called knee valgus) you lose alignment and put extra stress on the joint. It is one of the most common mistakes on the way down in a squat, especially with weight or when you get tired.

• The rule: the knees follow the direction of the toes. If the toes point slightly out, the knees go out, in line with your toes.
• The fix: imagine you are "spreading the floor" with your feet, as if making a tear in the carpet. That turns on your glutes and pushes the knees out.
• If they still cave in, lower the load and the depth to where you can control them, and build back up.

Check it: film yourself from the front. If the knees close inward as you stand up, that is the mistake.

2. Do your heels lift in the squat?

If your heels come off the floor, the weight shifts to your toes, you lose stability and the force does not come from where it should. It is usually your foot base or going deeper than your mobility allows today.

• The base: feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out, and the weight spread across the whole foot (heel, base of the big toe and of the little toe).
• The depth: go only as deep as you can keep your heels down. With time and some ankle mobility, you will go deeper.
• On the way up: push the floor away with your heels.
• A temporary trick: standing with your heels on a thin board or a couple of small plates helps while you improve ankle mobility.

3. Do you hold your breath when you push hard?

Holding your breath while you push or lift raises your blood pressure and makes you lightheaded. For most people, the safest thing is to breathe with the movement.

• Breathe out on the effort (when you push or lift).
• Breathe in on the easy part (when you lower or return to the start).
• Do not hold your breath set after set, especially if you have high blood pressure.

Remember: technique first, speed second. If you have to hold your breath to finish the rep, the load is too high.

4. Does your back round in the Romanian deadlift?

In the Romanian deadlift, the movement comes from the hips, not the back. The mistake is bending your lower back to lower the weight instead of pushing your hips back.

• The movement: push your hips back with a slight bend in the knees, as if you were closing a drawer with your butt. The weight travels close to your legs.
• The back: stays stable and flat (not rounded, not overly arched). You should feel the stretch in the back of your thigh (the hamstrings).
• How far: go only as far as you can keep your back flat; you do not have to reach the floor.
• If your back rounds, lower the load and shorten the range until you have control.

5. Do your shoulders rise to your ears in the press?

In the shoulder press, if your shoulders ride up toward your ears you lose stability and load your neck instead of your shoulder.

• Before you push: drop your shoulders, away from your ears, and bring your shoulder blades down and slightly back.
• Brace your core and do not flare your ribs (do not overarch your lower back).
• Push while keeping your shoulders down through the whole movement.
• If you cannot keep them down, the load is too high: lower the weight.

When should I lower the load or stop?

The general rule: if your technique breaks down, the weight is too high for today. Lower the load, fix the technique and build back up slowly. Stop right away if you feel sharp pain in a joint (knee, shoulder or back), dizziness, or pain that is not the normal effort of the muscle. If you have an injury or a condition, check with a health or exercise professional before continuing.

Want someone to watch you and fix it in the moment? In online personal training sessions I check your technique live over video call. And if you are just starting, try the 20-minute no-equipment home workout.

Sources

• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Haff G. G. & Triplett N. T. (eds.) (2016). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning (4th ed.). Human Kinetics. nsca.com
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (2021). ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (11th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. acsm.org
• American Council on Exercise (ACE). Exercise Library (squat, deadlift and shoulder press technique). acefitness.org/exercise-library