How to Deadlift: The Ultimate Guide to Perfecting Your Lift

If we’re talking about the most well-rounded compound exercises the deadlift is king.

It is widely used by athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts because it strengthens the posterior chain, improves posture, and enhances functional strength. It is also an excellent exercise for measuring overall fitness level and setting new PRs.

This guide will take you through every aspect of the deadlift, from proper setup and execution to avoiding common mistakes, understanding different variations, and recognizing its many benefits. 

How to Deadlift Step-by-Step

Here are the basic steps of a deadlift:

1. Setup: Stand with feet hip-width apart and bar directly over mid-foot. Keep toes slightly pointed outward, ensuring balanced weight distribution.
2. Grip and Posture: Hinge at the hips, gripping the bar just outside your legs. Slightly bend your knees, lift your chest, and maintain a flat, neutral spine.
3. Perform the Lift: Take a deep breath, brace your core, and push through your heels. Drive hips forward, standing tall while keeping the bar close to your body.
4. Lower the Bar: Reverse the movement by pushing hips back first. Once the bar passes your knees, bend them, controlling the descent until the bar reaches the ground.

Those are the basics if you want to give it a try but be careful. Even though it looks simple, doing the deadlift with improper form can lead to missed gains or, worse, a serious injury. We'll break down each step in greater detail below.

If you're still unsure about your deadlift technique after reading, the Flex Fitness app has you covered. With expert AI tools, you can train smarter, improve your form, and lift with confidence every time.

1. Setup

Before lifting the bar, you need to position yourself correctly to maximize efficiency and minimize risk. 

Begin by standing with your feet hip-width apart, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed across the middle of your feet. The barbell should be directly over your midfoot, approximately one inch away from your shins while standing up. 

When gripping the bar, your hands should be placed just outside of your knees. Depending on your preference and strength level, you can use a double-overhand grip, a mixed grip (one palm facing forward and the other facing backward), or a hook grip. 

Your shoulders should be slightly in front of the bar, and your shoulder blades directly above your mid-foot. Don’t try to squeeze them like during squats or the bench press, this will only increase the distance traveled by the bar during the exercise.

Finally, raise your chest and lock your position by contracting your lats. This is the ideal deadlift setup. Notice we haven’t talked about hip positioning. That’s because everyone will have a different hip position during the deadlift, it will depend on the size of your legs compared to the rest of your body. Just follow the steps above and your hips will naturally position where they should be.

2. Engage Your Core

Proper core engagement is essential to stabilize your spine throughout the lift. Before pulling the bar off the ground, take a deep breath into your belly and brace your core as if you were about to take a punch to the stomach. This increases intra-abdominal pressure, protecting your lower back and allowing you to generate more force.

Maintaining a neutral spine is critical at this stage. Avoid rounding your lower back or hyperextending your spine. Instead, focus on keeping your chest up and hips positioned correctly relative to your shoulders. The bar should remain close to your body, minimizing unnecessary stress on your lower back. Engaging your core properly will improve your deadlift form and help you lift more weight safely.

3. Lift Phase

As you initiate the lift, push through your heels while extending your hips and knees at the same time. The movement should be smooth and controlled rather than explosive or jerky. Keep the barbell close to your legs as it rises, ensuring that your back remains straight and your core stays engaged. Proper technique during the lift phase is crucial for preventing injuries and maximizing strength gains.

Your arms should remain straight throughout the lift, acting as hooks rather than actively pulling the weight. Drive your hips forward as the bar passes your knees, keeping your chest proud and your lats engaged. Do not allow the bar to drift away from your body, as this can put excessive strain on your lower back. Executing this phase with proper form will allow you to build strength effectively while reducing injury risk.

4. Lockout

The lockout is the final phase of the deadlift, where you stand upright with the bar at full extension. At this point, your hips should be fully extended, your glutes squeezed, and your shoulders pulled back slightly. However, avoid overextending your lower back by leaning too far backward, as this can lead to unnecessary spinal stress. A strong lockout ensures that you complete the lift safely while maintaining stability and control.

Maintaining tension in your core and glutes at the top of the lift ensures stability and control before you lower the weight back to the ground. A proper lockout is essential for completing the movement efficiently and preventing strain on the lower back.

5. Lowering Phase

Lowering the barbell with control is just as important as lifting it. Hinge at your hips first while maintaining a straight back, allowing the bar to descend along the same path it traveled during the lift. Once the bar reaches knee level, begin bending your knees to return to the starting position. Lowering the weight properly helps reinforce good form and reduces the risk of injury.

Avoid dropping the weight carelessly, as this can lead to poor technique and potential injuries. Controlled eccentric movement strengthens the posterior chain and enhances overall lifting mechanics. Practicing proper control during the lowering phase is a key component of mastering how to deadlift effectively.

You can also check out this complete video that shows how to do the perfect deadlift form: 

Common Deadlift Mistakes

Even experienced lifters struggle with certain technical errors that can hinder progress and increase the risk of injury. Here are some of the most common mistakes and how to correct them:

1. Rounding the Lower Back

One of the most frequent mistakes is rounding the lower back during the lift, which puts excessive tension on the spine increasing injury risk. 

Fix: Focus on bracing your core, engaging your lats and puffing that chest out before lifting and hold this form during the whole exercise. 

2. Bar Too Far from the Body

If the bar drifts away from your body during the lift, the path and time it takes until lockout increases, adding unnecessary stress and tension to your whole body.

Fix: Keep the bar close to your shins as you lift, ensuring that it remains in contact with your legs throughout the movement.

3. Overextending at Lockout

Leaning too far backward at the top of the movement can strain the lumbar spine and lead to discomfort or injury.

Fix: Stand tall with your hips fully extended and your glutes engaged, avoiding unnecessary backward lean.

4. Lifting Too Much Weight Too Soon

Attempting to lift more than you can handle can compromise your form and increase the likelihood of injury.

Fix: Start with a manageable weight and progressively increase your load as your technique improves.

5. Neglecting to Warm Up

Skipping a proper warm-up before deadlifting can lead to muscle stiffness, reduced mobility, and an increased risk of injury. Without adequate preparation, your muscles and joints are not primed for the heavy load, which can result in poor movement patterns and strain on your lower back.

Fix: Begin with dynamic stretches and activation exercises to increase blood flow and engage key muscle groups. Follow this with a few warm-up sets using lighter weights to ensure your body is fully prepared for the lift.

Muscles Worked During a Deadlift

The deadlift is a compound movement that targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it one of the most effective strength exercises. So, it’s nice to know the muscles deadlift work.

Primary Muscles Worked:

• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Lower Back
• Lats
• Traps

Secondary Muscles Worked:

• Core
• Forearms

labeled muscle map image for clarity.

Deadlift Variations

To keep things interesting and address different muscle groups, you can incorporate several deadlift variations into your routine.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

The Romanian deadlift emphasizes the hamstrings and glutes by maintaining a slight knee bend and focusing on hip hinging.

Trap Bar Deadlift

The trap bar deadlift is an excellent option for those with lower back issues, as it allows for a more upright torso position and reduced spinal stress.

Sumo Deadlift

With a wider stance and a more vertical torso position, the sumo deadlift places greater emphasis on the glutes and quads.

Benefits of Deadlifting

Deadlifts are widely regarded as one of the most important exercises for building strength, enhancing athletic performance, and improving overall functionality. 

Unlike isolation exercises that target only a single muscle group, deadlifts engage multiple muscles simultaneously, making them an incredibly efficient movement for both beginners and experienced lifters. The benefits of deadlifting go far beyond the gym, as this compound lift translates directly into real-world strength and movement mechanics.

Physical Benefits

Deadlifting is one of the most effective exercises for building total-body strength and muscle mass. By targeting multiple muscle groups, including the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and core, deadlifts help improve overall power and athletic performance. 

Regularly incorporating deadlifts into your routine will enhance your ability to lift heavier weights, build muscle definition, and increase bone density. This is particularly beneficial for individuals looking to maintain strength as they age, as it helps preserve lean muscle mass and prevents age-related muscle loss.

Beyond muscle growth, deadlifting also strengthens the posterior chain, which plays a critical role in everyday movements. From picking up heavy objects to improving your ability to sprint or jump, the posterior chain is responsible for much of your lower-body power. Strengthening these muscles through deadlifting can improve overall athletic ability, making it a staple for athletes in all sports.

Functional Benefits

Deadlifting not only builds strength but also improves functional fitness, enhancing movement patterns used in everyday life. By engaging the core and reinforcing proper posture, deadlifts help prevent lower back pain and improve spinal alignment. 

A strong posterior chain and core make it easier to maintain good posture, reducing the risk of chronic pain caused by poor movement habits or prolonged sitting.

Additionally, deadlifting boosts the body’s metabolic rate, making it an excellent exercise for fat loss. Because deadlifts recruit large muscle groups, they require significant energy expenditure, leading to higher calorie burn during and after workouts. This makes them an effective tool for individuals looking to improve body composition while building strength.

By including deadlifts in your training program, you not only develop superior strength but also reinforce better movement mechanics, improving both athletic performance and everyday functionality.

People Also Ask

Should beginners use a lifting belt?

A lifting belt can provide additional core support, but beginners should first focus on developing proper technique before relying on one. The same applies to straps and gloves, you need to develop the grip strength and resistance to evolve your deadlift so leave the gym gadgets for the really heavy weights.

How often should I deadlift?

For most people, 1-2 sessions per week is sufficient, allowing for proper recovery between workouts.

Is deadlifting bad for your back?

When performed correctly, deadlifts strengthen the lower back and reduce injury risk. Poor form, however, can lead to strain or discomfort.

Can I deadlift in the Smith machine?

The Smith machine doesn’t make this exercise safer, just less efficient. Since you don’t need to get under the weight like during a squat or a bench press, there’s no risk of getting squished during the deadlift. Stabilizing the movement with rails in this case will only take work away from your muscles.

The Takeaway

Mastering the deadlift is essential for anyone looking to build strength, enhance athletic performance, and improve overall fitness. Learning how to deadlift properly ensures that you get the most out of your workouts while minimizing the risk of injury. It's not just another lift: it is a powerhouse movement that builds strength, improves posture, and enhances overall body mechanics.

If you're serious about strength training, incorporating deadlifts into your workout plan will take your progress to the next level. Focus on mastering each phase of the movement, and over time, you'll see significant improvements in strength, muscle development, and overall performance. Learning how to deadlift correctly will allow you to lift heavier, move more efficiently, and keep your body strong and injury-free.

Finally, if you're looking to perfect your deadlift technique and take your strength training to the next level, download the Flex Fitness app today. With personalized guidance, expert form analysis, and tailored workout programs, Flex AI helps you train smarter and lift safely.