Deadlift
The deadlift is the king of all exercises, building total-body strength and mass like no other movement. It develops your posterior chain—back, glutes, and hamstrings—while testing your mental fortitude.
Muscles Worked
Primary Muscles
- Erector Spinae
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
Secondary Muscles
- Quadriceps
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Trapezius
- Forearms
How to Perform
Stand with feet hip-width apart, bar over mid-foot, shins nearly touching the bar.
Hinge at hips and bend knees to grip the bar just outside your legs with straight arms.
Pull the slack out of the bar, engage your lats, and create tension throughout your body.
Drive through your heels and extend your hips and knees simultaneously to lift the bar.
Stand fully upright at the top, squeezing your glutes and keeping shoulders back.
Lower the bar by hinging at hips first, then bending knees once bar passes them.
Common Mistakes
Rounding Lower Back
Losing neutral spine puts dangerous loads on lumbar discs and increases injury risk dramatically.
Pulling with Arms
Trying to curl the weight up with biceps rather than driving with legs reduces power and risks bicep tears.
Not Engaging Lats
Failing to pull bar into your shins causes it to drift forward, creating inefficient bar path.
Hyperextending at Top
Leaning back excessively at lockout puts unnecessary stress on lower back.
Training Notes
Deadlift works best when the torso stays quiet and the shoulder blades do the initial movement. Set the chest up, keep ribs down, and drive the elbows toward the hips or back pockets. If your neck tenses up, reset with a longer spine and keep the gaze neutral.
Think about squeezing the mid‑back at the end of each rep rather than yanking the handle. A 1–2 second pause in the contracted position teaches control and builds thickness. On the way back, let the shoulder blades glide forward for a full stretch without losing posture.
For growth, 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps with a controlled eccentric works well. For strength, use heavier loads in the 5–8 rep range and longer rests. Straps are fine if grip limits the back; just keep the pull strict and avoid shrugging.
If you feel it more in the biceps than the back, slightly reduce the grip strength and think “elbows first.” A neutral wrist and a relaxed grip can help the lats engage. Adjust the handle height or torso angle to keep the line of pull aligned with the target fibers.
Protect the lower back by keeping the core braced and the chest supported whenever possible. If you use free weights, avoid jerking with the hips. A smooth eccentric builds more tissue and keeps the shoulder joint happy over the long term.
Pair Deadlift with a vertical pull on the same day to cover the full back. For example, do a row‑dominant movement first, then a pulldown or pull‑up. Keep total weekly volume for back around 12–20 quality sets, adjusted to recovery.
A slightly wider grip typically emphasizes upper‑back thickness, while a closer grip shifts more load to the lats. Test both and keep the one that lets you feel the target area most. The best grip is usually the one that allows a smooth, pain‑free path.
Pro Tips
Think 'leg press the floor away' rather than 'lifting the bar' for better mechanics and power.
Keep the bar as close to your body as possible throughout - it should nearly drag up your shins and thighs.
Take a big breath and brace your core hard before each rep like you're preparing for a punch.
Film yourself from the side to check that your back stays neutral throughout the entire lift.
Variations
Sumo Deadlift
Wider stance with hands inside legs, emphasizing quads and adductors more.
Romanian Deadlift
Start from top and focus on hip hinge with minimal knee bend for hamstring emphasis.
Trap Bar Deadlift
More upright torso position using hexagonal bar, easier on lower back.
Alternative Exercises
Romanian Deadlift
Hip-hinge variation emphasizing hamstrings and glutes with less lower back demand.
Trap Bar Deadlift
More quad-dominant variation with neutral grip and reduced spinal loading.
Back Extension
Isolates erector spinae and glutes without heavy loading.
Good Morning
Targets similar posterior chain muscles with barbell on back.
Track Your Deadlift Progress
Log every set, track PRs, and watch your strength grow with replogr.
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