Developing the Hinge with the CV Deadlift

The better part of two decades ago, I was watching VHS tapes I had purchased out of Westside Barbell and they demonstrated an exercise they dubbed the "CV Deadlift" named after the powerlifter Chuck Vogelpohl.

The "CV deadlift" is a deadlift off of a low pulley or a band anchored at the floor in front of you. Because the weight is pulling you forward, the movement requires an exaggerated hinge to keep your body's center of gravity from flying into the weight stack or support structure.

I have used this exercise with many of my students and athletes to help them understand the mechanics of the hinge, and recruit the posterior chain into the movement. Initially, it's very common for trainees to lock up their hips and squat with the bands, looking like they are waterskiing badly. But, with coaching and practice, the athlete will quickly come to understand how to flex and extend the hips, using their glutes and hammies to drive the feet into the ground.