Thread: Need dead lift advice ?

1) Are you supposed to put the bar/weight back on the ground when you go down or do you hold it just above the ground for each rep ?

either put it down, reset and go again or
touch it very lightly to the floor (minimize bouncing) or
stop just short of hitting the floor

2) Should I treat it like any other weight exercise doing multiple reps/sets ?
Or should I only be doing a few of them - it seems strenuous ?

it is just like any other exercise...if lifting weren't strenuous 60% of americans wouldn't be obese.

3) Is it normal to feel it pulling your abs ? I was thinking this was more of a shoulder/trap/back exercise ?

what do you mean by pulling? your abs do work with the rest of your core musculature to stabilize your upper body and to transfer power from your hips.

Here's what I'm doing
1) Look straight ahead, back straight.
2) Reverse grip on the bar a little more than shoulder length apart.
3) Lift bar to my waist with weight on my heels on the way up.
4) Pause, for a second, lower bar (back still straight, looking ahead).

why reverse grip? or do you mean alternating grip? make sure you are not rounding your back and keep your head up. initiate the move from your hips and once you start to clear your knees get your hips forward to lockout.

here's a site that has videos to show you how to lift properly

http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthlab/exercise.asp

for deadlifts, look in the "upper back" section and then click on Deadlifts - Conventional and watch the video