Core strength: Where you should be focusing but many people do not

I am as guilty of this as anyone else because I am interested in having "SWOLE" arm and just like most guys, I find it very easy to work out my shoulders, biceps and triceps. While I am pleased with the gains that I have made in this department it is purely aesthetic and doesn't really mean that I am any stronger.

This mistake is made by a lot of people and honestly, it should change.

The deadlift is one of the most important core exercises that you can do and almost every gym has these. I mean, if your gym has a bar and plates, it has a deadlift. The only real potential problem here is that if you do the exercise incorrectly, you could be doing yourself a lot of harm, which is never good especially since your lower back is very exposed during this exercise.

The key to this exercise, just like any compound exercise in the gym is to focus on a lighter weight until you can master proper form. If you are just trying to go for BEEFCAKE weights from the start or you are one of those clowns that thinks that anyone in the gym is impressed by you lifting a bunch of plates, you are probably hurting yourself in the process.

Here are a few tips that you need to focus on and honestly, you should go beyond this and maybe even hire a trainer to help you get it right before you even attempt heavier weights.

• Feet should be hip-length apart
• Hands should be placed around an inch further apart than your feet
• Get to a squatted position with your back straight
• Maintain a straight back position throughout the entire movement
• As you lift, keep your chest high and your hips out
• watch out for whacking yourself in the shins :)

For many, this is considered the "ultimate" gym exercise because it works virtually your entire body in the process. This is why it can actually be a more economical exercise to perform while at the gym. In order to engage all of the parts of your body that a deadlift can hit, you would have to spend a great deal more time and work with half a dozen different machines.

Another reason why I love the deadlift is because it increases overall strength. For years I had really impressive shoulders, chest, and biceps, but was severely lacking in other parts and almost never worked out my glutes. Even though I felt good in a "muscle shirt" I wasn't capable of lifting heavy things in my day-to-day life and could barely do 5 chinups. This is because I was not strong, I was just overexercising certain muscle groups without doing anything to actually become stronger.

The deadlift is something that you should be doing, but for god's sake do it correctly because doing this exercise wrong, especially if you don't keep your back straight, could lead to disastrous and chronic injury later in life.