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Pull · Barbell

How to deadlift

Nothing else in the gym trains the whole back of your body at once the way a deadlift does — and nothing else punishes a lazy setup as quickly.

Muscles worked: Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Spinal erectors, Lats, Grip

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How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over midfoot, feet hip width, shins about an inch away.
  2. Push the hips back and take a grip just outside the legs, arms straight and vertical.
  3. Drop the hips until the shins touch the bar, lift the chest, and pull the slack out of the bar until it clicks.
  4. Push the floor away with the whole foot, keeping the bar dragging up the legs and the hips and shoulders rising together.
  5. Finish standing tall with the glutes squeezed, then reverse the path by pushing the hips back first.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Yanking the bar off the floor before the slack is out — that is where backs round.
  • Letting the bar drift away from the shins, which multiplies the load on the low back.
  • Leaning back and hyperextending at the top instead of just standing tall.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Strength3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, 3 min rest
Size3–4 sets of 6–8 reps, 2–3 min rest
Technique5 sets of 3 at 60–70% with a full reset every rep

Swaps and alternatives

  • Trap bar deadlift — Friendlier back angle, easier to learn.
  • Romanian deadlift — More hamstring, less systemic fatigue.
  • Rack pull — Lets you load the top half while mobility catches up.

Common questions

What people ask about deadlift

This guide covers deadlift form, how to do deadlifts correctly, deadlift muscles worked, deadlift sets and reps for muscle growth, barbell gluteus maximus exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

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