Come down slowly, being absolutely sure to keep arch in your lower back. As you near bottom, stick your butt out and try to raise your toes as high up as possible. This dramatically intensifies stretch you put on your hamstrings. Hold that stretch for a moment or two then reverse direction without bouncing.

Repeat this for 5 to 7 reps. At end of set, place barbell down gently then get ready to grab onto something for support. If you’ve done this technique correctly and intensely, your hamstrings will probably feel like jelly and you might find yourself prone to falling down suddenly (this is not a joke - I can’t tell you how many things I’ve had grab onto to catch myself on after doing a hard set of these)!

Why Is This Technique So Effective?

The reason this toe-raising technique is so effective for stiff-legged deadlift comes straight from biomechanics and anatomy.

The stiff-legged deadlift exercise places most tension on hamstrings at bottom, stretched position. Therefore, in order to maximize tension on hamstrings, we must maximize stretch on hamstrings at that point.

In standard stiff-legged deadlift, this is normally accomplished by simply bending at hips. But this is not greatest anatomical stretch that can be put on hamstring muscles.

As you may or may not know, muscles of calves are tied in with hamstrings. Therefore, placing a stretch on calves also places more stretch on hamstrings. This is what weight plates accomplish - they raise your toes, putting a stretch on calves, which then puts a greater stretch on your hamstrings.

By stretching hamstrings at both hip joint and knee joint (from stretching calves), you literally force your hamstrings to activate strongly during stiff-legged deadlift movement.

The difference is quite amazing! Try it for just one set and I promise you’ll never go back to doing it standard way ever again!

For a photograph of how to set this exercise up, visit:

http://www.fitstep.com/Misc/Newsletter-archives/issue9-hamstring-tip.htm

7. Order small portions at restaurants - it’s tough to order small french fries when "supersizing" your order is such a great "value." Take note, however, your real savings will occur in calories that don’t end up on your backside.

8. Eat more fiber - fiber is very filling. By eating more fiber you will find yourself full sooner. This feeling of fullness will last a long time as well.

9. Wait 20 minutes between servings - your brain takes at least 20 minutes to register that you’re full. By waiting that long, you’ll give your brain a chance to realize that you don’t really need any more food.

10. Cheat on your diet - one thing I always make my clients promise is that they will cheat on their diet. The only thing I ask that they do is to cheat ONLY when they have planned to cheat. By planning when you are going to eat foods you crave, you take back control of your eating habits.

This way you no longer "give in" to your cravings. You "reward yourself" for sticking to proper nutritional habits. Do this once or twice a week and you will feel far more in control of your eating.

In conclusion, if you follow even a few of these 10 easy tips in long term, you will certainly notice a difference in your overall weight and health.