Deadlift: how to do it right
In short: The deadlift is a vertical pull from the floor that builds back thickness, loaded to the max at mid-range when the shins pass vertical.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Bar over the middle of your foot, shins close, grip just outside your knees.
- 2Hips in a middle position, chest up, back neutral and braced, shoulders slightly in front of the bar.
- 3Push the floor away with your legs, the bar rises along your shins without drifting away from your body.
- 4Lock out hips and knees at the top without hyperextending your lower back.
- 5Lower by pushing your hips back, controlling it all the way to the floor.
- 6Continuous rhythm, no bouncing off the floor between reps.
The mistake to avoid
Don't round your back, keep the bar close to your shins.
Other common mistakes
- Back rounding in the mid-range sticking point: keep your bracing constant and lower the weight until neutrality holds.
- Bar drifting away from the shins: activate your lats to keep it against your body the whole way up.
- Lumbar hyperextension at lockout: stop the extension when hips and knees are straight, without leaning back.
- Starting with hips too high, which turns the movement into a good morning: lower your hips to engage the legs at the break from the floor.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Back (thickness)
- Supporting:
- Hamstrings, Glutes, Traps
The spinal erectors and quadratus lumborum stabilize and straighten the spine. The gluteus maximus and hamstrings handle hip extension. The traps and rhomboids brace the shoulder girdle. The lats keep the bar close to the body.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Bar over the middle of your foot, shins close, grip just outside your knees, hips in a middle position, chest up, back neutral and braced. Push the floor away with your legs, the bar rises along your shins without drifting away, then lock out hips and knees without leaning back. Lower by pushing your hips far back, back always neutral.
How far down should I go?
Lower all the way to the floor under control, with the bar grazing your shins, then come back up to full lockout of hips and knees. Tension is highest at mid-range, just at or above the knees: that sticking point is what breaks sets. Accelerate your intent in this zone and keep your back strictly neutral, any lumbar flexion shows up precisely there.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
On this movement you don't necessarily feel an isolated burn, it's a global effort of the back and legs. Don't think about pulling with your back, think about pushing the floor away from you with your legs, chest proud. In the middle zone, imagine you're spreading the bar away from your body: it locks in the lats and protects your lower back.
How fast should I do the movement?
Go up firmly and explosively in intent, especially in the mid-range sticking point, while staying in control. Control the descent over 2 to 3 seconds without letting go of the bar, back braced, and don't bounce off the floor between reps. Continuous rhythm, no dead time.
How should I breathe?
Breathe in deeply before pulling, hold the air by pushing your belly against your belt, that's the Valsalva maneuver. Keep holding your breath the whole way up, especially in the mid-range sticking point where the trunk must be the most rigid. Breathe out once the bar is locked out or at the end of the descent.