[sonick]

Originally Posted by StealthFighter

deadlifts are awesome. a close 2nd to squats. just make sure you have a neutral spine. don't have a rounded back or an extremely arched back.

easy way for me is to have over-under grip with chalk or lynx grips.
breath in deep with your diaphragm right before you lift. protects your spine somewhat.
think of deadlifts as pushing away the ground beneath you. don't think of it as pulling it up with your arms. basically start the movement with your legs, not your arms. it'll help you move more weight.

the tips above helped me break some PRs.

+1, all good points. Over/under hand definitely helps. Use your legs/butt to lift, the arms only hold onto the bar, they don't do any of the pulling.

Keep your abs/core flexed for both deadlifts and squats to protect the spine.

I've added weighted lunges to my squats, and it absolutely kills. It's awesome.