Deadlift Form Step by Step: Pull Heavy, Stay Safe

0 to Elite course · Lesson 55 of 100 · Level 3: Novice to Intermediate

The deadlift lets you lift more weight than almost any other exercise. That is exactly why form matters. This lesson turns the hip hinge you already know into a strong, repeatable barbell deadlift.

Start with the hinge

In lesson 14 you learned the hip hinge: pushing your hips back while keeping your back flat. The deadlift is that hinge with a barbell on the floor. If you cannot hinge cleanly with a kettlebell or a Romanian deadlift, keep practising there first.

You will also need the bracing from lesson 12. In the deadlift, a strong brace is what keeps your spine in a safe position while your legs and hips do the work.

The five step set-up

This is the conventional deadlift, with your hands outside your legs. Do these steps the same way every rep.

1. Feet: stand with your feet about hip width apart, toes pointing forward or slightly out. The bar should be over the middle of your foot, roughly over your shoelaces.
2. Grip: hinge down and grab the bar just outside your legs. Use a double overhand grip for as long as you can hold it.
3. Shins: bend your knees until your shins touch the bar. Do not move the bar towards you.
4. Chest and lats: lift your chest, flatten your back and pull your shoulders down and back as if trying to bend the bar around your legs. You should feel your back muscles switch on.
5. Brace and take the slack out: big breath, brace hard, then pull up gently until you hear the bar click against the plates. Now you are ready.

The pull and the lockout

Think of the deadlift as a leg press into the floor, not a back lift. Push the floor away with your whole foot. Keep the bar touching your legs all the way up. Once the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward to stand tall.

At the top, stand straight with your glutes squeezed. Do not lean back. Leaning back adds stress to your lower back and does nothing for the lift.

To lower, push your hips back first, let the bar slide down your thighs, then bend your knees once it passes them. Control it to the floor, reset your brace, and go again.

Cues that help

• “Push the floor away” to use your legs.
• “Bar stays on your legs” to keep it close.
• “Chest up, hips through” to lock out.

Common mistakes and fixes

• Rounding the lower back. The most important fault to fix. Lower the weight, reset your brace, and practise the set-up until your back stays flat.
• Bar drifting away from your body. Engage your lats and keep the bar brushing your legs.
• Hips shooting up first. Your legs straighten and your back does all the work. Push through the floor and let chest and hips rise together.
• Jerking the bar off the floor. Always take the slack out first. Smooth beats fast.
• Grip failing. Train grip with the farmer’s walks from lesson 20. Mixed grip or straps are options later for heavy sets.

Progressing and regressing

Regress: if pulling from the floor is too hard to do with a flat back, raise the bar on blocks or plates, or use a trap bar, which many people find easier to learn. Progress: start light, add small jumps while every rep looks identical, and keep most working sets between 3 and 6 reps, as in lesson 51. Deadlifts are tiring, so one or two heavy deadlift sessions a week is plenty. For the muscles that support the lift, read the full guide on exercises to strengthen your back.

Back pain warning: if you have current back pain, a past back injury, or you feel sharp or shooting pain during a deadlift, stop and see your GP or a physiotherapist before you continue. Pain that travels down a leg needs checking.

Your action steps

1. Practise 3 sets of 8 Romanian deadlifts with a light bar or kettlebell to rehearse your hinge.
2. Learn the five step set-up with an empty or lightly loaded bar. Say each step out loud.
3. Do 3 sets of 5 deadlifts and film one set from the side to check your back stays flat.
4. Write your starting weight in your log and plan small increases for the next four weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Is the deadlift bad for your back?

Done with good form and sensible loads, the deadlift strengthens the muscles that support your back. Problems usually come from rounding under heavy weight or progressing too fast.

Should I touch and go or reset each deadlift rep?

Resetting each rep is better for learning, because you practise the set-up every time. Touch and go can be used later once your form is very consistent.

How often should I deadlift?

Once or twice a week is enough for most people. Deadlifts are very tiring, so more frequent heavy sessions often slow recovery.

Keep going

Previous: Lesson 54: Barbell Squat Form: The Back Squat Step by Step

Next: Lesson 56: Bench Press Form: How to Set Up and Press Safely

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