Deadlift
Also known as: Conventional Deadlift · Barbell Deadlift
The heaviest lift most people will ever perform, and the most complete expression of posterior chain strength.
- Primary
- Erector spinae, Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings
- Secondary
- Latissimus dorsi, Trapezius, Forearms, Quadriceps
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Type
- Compound
- Level
- Advanced
How to do it
Set up
- Stand with the bar over mid-foot, roughly an inch from your shins.
- Hinge at the hips and grip just outside your legs.
- Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, chest up, back flat.
- Take the slack out of the bar (pull up on it until you hear the plates settle) before you pull.
Perform the rep
- Push the floor away with your legs rather than pulling with your back.
- Keep the bar in contact with your legs the whole way up.
- Hips and shoulders rise together, if your hips shoot up first, the weight is too heavy or your brace failed.
- Lock out by squeezing the glutes. Do not lean back or hyperextend.
- Lower by hinging the hips back first, then bending the knees once the bar passes them.
Common mistakes
-
Rounding the lower back
A rounded lumbar spine under maximal load is the highest-risk position in the gym. If your back rounds before the bar leaves the floor, reduce the weight and work on your brace and hip mobility.
-
Bar drifting away from the shins
Every centimetre the bar sits forward of mid-foot dramatically increases the load on your lower back. Keep it dragging up your legs.
-
Hips rising first
This turns the lift into a stiff-legged good morning. Think about pushing your feet through the floor rather than lifting your chest.
-
Hyperextending at lockout
Leaning back at the top adds nothing and compresses the lumbar spine. Stand tall, squeeze glutes, stop.
How to programme it
Deadlifts cost more recovery than any other lift. Most people need only one heavy deadlift session a week, and lower total volume than they use on squats.
Variations
- Sumo Deadlift: wider stance, more quad and hip, shorter range
- Romanian Deadlift: hamstring focused, no floor reset
- Trap Bar Deadlift: more upright torso, easier on the lower back
- Deficit Deadlift: standing on a plate to increase range
Frequently asked questions
How often should I deadlift?
Once a week is enough for most lifters, and plenty for anyone pulling heavy. The deadlift produces more systemic fatigue per set than any other lift, so extra frequency usually costs more in recovery than it returns in progress.
Should I use straps for deadlifts?
Use them once your grip is what fails rather than your back and legs, usually on higher-rep or heavier volume sets. Pull your top working sets without straps to keep building grip, and strap up for the rest.
Is it OK to round your upper back when deadlifting?
A small amount of upper-back rounding is common among experienced lifters and is far lower risk than lumbar rounding, because the thoracic spine tolerates flexion better. The lower back should stay neutral regardless.