Deadlift

Lifting a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees. It is one of the most fundamental strength movements and trains the entire posterior chain.

Standard: A valid rep starts with the bar on the floor and finishes standing tall with the hips and knees fully extended and the shoulders behind or over the bar.

How to do the Deadlift

1. Set your feet about hip-width with the bar over the mid-foot, roughly touching the shins.
2. Grip the bar just outside your legs and take the slack out until you feel tension.
3. Set a neutral spine with the chest up, lats engaged, and hips higher than the knees.
4. Push the floor away and stand, keeping the bar dragging close to the legs.
5. Open the hips and knees together and finish tall with shoulders back.
6. Return the bar to the floor by pushing the hips back first, then bending the knees.

Common faults

• Rounding the lower back and losing the neutral spine off the floor.
• Hips rising before the bar, turning the pull into a stiff-legged lift.
• The bar drifting away from the body instead of staying close to the legs.
• Overextending and leaning back excessively at the top.

Scaling & progressions

• Reduce the load and drill the setup and neutral spine before adding weight.
• Elevate the bar on blocks or plates to shorten the range for mobility limitations.
• Use a sumo or trap-bar stance if the conventional setup is uncomfortable.
• Perform Romanian deadlifts to strengthen the hip hinge with lighter load.