Deadlift

How to Perform the Deadlift

Stand with your feet hip-width apart with the barbell over your mid-foot. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the bar just outside your legs using either a double overhand or mixed grip. Set your back by pulling your chest up and engaging your lats. Drive through the floor by extending your hips and knees simultaneously, keeping the bar close to your body throughout the lift. Stand fully upright at the top, then reverse the movement to return the bar to the floor.

Muscle Activation

The deadlift is one of the most comprehensive exercises for posterior chain development. The glutes and hamstrings are the primary hip extensors, while the erector spinae maintains spinal rigidity. The quadriceps assist in the initial drive off the floor. The trapezius, rhomboids, and lats stabilize the upper back, and the forearms and grip are heavily taxed holding the barbell.

Common Mistakes

• Rounding the lower back, which increases injury risk significantly under heavy loads.
• Starting with the hips too high, turning the lift into a stiff-leg deadlift.
• Allowing the bar to drift away from the body, increasing the moment arm on the spine.
• Jerking the bar off the floor rather than building tension gradually.

Variations

The sumo deadlift uses a wide stance and is often preferred by lifters with longer torsos. Trap bar deadlifts reduce spinal loading and are more quad-dominant. Deficit deadlifts increase range of motion for off-the-floor strength. Rack pulls focus on the lockout portion of the lift.

Programming Tips

Deadlift 1-2 times per week for strength, using 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps at 80-95% of 1RM. For hypertrophy, 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps work well. Due to the high systemic fatigue generated, most lifters should not deadlift heavy more than twice per week. Alternate heavy and light sessions for recovery.