Barbell Deadlift
A deadlift is won in the first inch: if the bar leaves the floor before the lats and the brace are set, the rest of the rep is damage control.
How to do Barbell Deadlift
- Stand in front of a loaded barbell.
- While keeping the back as straight as possible, bend your knees, bend forward and grasp the bar using a medium (shoulder width) overhand grip. This will be the starting position of the exercise. Tip: If it is difficult to hold on to the bar with this grip, alternate your grip or use wrist straps.
- While holding the bar, start the lift by pushing with your legs while simultaneously getting your torso to the upright position as you breathe out. In the upright position, stick your chest out and contract the back by bringing the shoulder blades back. Think of how the soldiers in the military look when they are in standing in attention.
- Go back to the starting position by bending at the knees while simultaneously leaning the torso forward at the waist while keeping the back straight. When the weights on the bar touch the floor you are back at the starting position and ready to perform another repetition.
- Perform the amount of repetitions prescribed in the program.
Barbell Deadlift Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3-5 sets of 1-5 reps at 80-90% of your one-rep max with 3-5 minutes rest. Set up fresh from the floor for every rep rather than touch-and-go.
Hypertrophy
3-4 sets of 6-8 reps with 2-3 minutes rest, controlled on the way down. Deadlift volume is expensive to recover from, so keep total hard sets low.
Endurance
3 sets of 10-12 reps at a light load, resetting between reps. Never chase high-rep deadlifts to failure — form breaks down long before the muscles do.
Common Barbell Deadlift Mistakes
Rounding the upper and lower back to reach the bar, which puts the discs under shear load at the heaviest point of the lift.
Set the hips so the shoulders sit just in front of the bar, pull the chest tall, and take the slack out of the bar before you drive.
Starting with the hips too low, which turns the pull into a squat and jams the bar into the knees.
Hips higher than in a squat, lower than in a stiff-leg. The shoulder should sit slightly ahead of the bar and the shins should just touch it.
Letting the bar drift away from the shins and thighs, which massively increases the load on the lower back.
Engage the lats as if squeezing oranges in your armpits, and drag the bar up your legs. Chalk and closer shins help.
Leaning back and hyperextending at lockout to prove the rep is finished.
Finish standing tall with the glutes squeezed and the ribs down. Anything past a straight line adds spinal load with no benefit.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Deadlift
Swap Barbell Deadlift For
Barbell Deadlift — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Deadlift?
Stand in front of a loaded barbell. While keeping the back as straight as possible, bend your knees, bend forward and grasp the bar using a medium (shoulder width) overhand grip. This will be the starting position of the exercise. Tip: If it is difficult to hold on to the bar with this grip, alternate your grip or use wrist straps. While holding the bar, start the lift by pushing with your legs while simultaneously getting your torso to the upright position as you breathe out. In the upright position, stick your chest out and contract the back by bringing the shoulder blades back. Think of how the soldiers in the military look when they are in standing in attention. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Deadlift work?
The Barbell Deadlift primarily targets the lower back. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Deadlift should I do?
For muscle growth: 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps with 2-3 minutes rest, controlled on the way down. Deadlift volume is expensive to recover from, so keep total hard sets low. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Deadlift good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic back patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Deadlift?
Try the Romanian Deadlift, Bent Over Barbell Row or the Back Extension. Each trains the lower back with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
