Barbell Deadlift
The classic full-body pull. With a flat back and the bar against your shins, you stand up with a loaded barbell from the floor, driving through your legs and hips.
Brace, then push the floor away with the bar against your legs
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How to do it
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and the bar over the middle of your feet, close to your shins.
- Bend at the hips and knees to grip the bar just outside your legs, with your arms straight. Bring your shins forward until they touch the bar.
- Set your back flat, chest up, and pull the slack out of the bar. Your hips should be above your knees and your shoulders just in front of the bar.
- Brace your core and push the floor away. The bar rises in a straight line, close to your legs, while your back keeps the same angle until the bar passes your knees.
- Drive your hips forward to stand tall, then lower the bar by pushing your hips back first and bending your knees once it passes them.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back, especially as the bar leaves the floor.
- Letting the hips shoot up first, which turns the lift into a stiff-legged pull on the lower back.
- Starting with the bar too far from the shins, so it swings away from the legs.
- Jerking the bar off the floor instead of taking the slack out first.
- Leaning back or shrugging at the top instead of finishing with the hips.
The animation shows general technique, not advice for your body. If you have an injury or are new to lifting, check your form with a qualified coach. See the Disclaimer.
Plan your training
- One Rep Max Calculator →
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