How to Deadlift: Complete Beginner's Guide

Why the Deadlift Matters

The deadlift is the most functional exercise in existence. You're picking a heavy object off the floor. Every human does this daily — moving furniture, lifting groceries, picking up children. The deadlift trains your entire posterior chain: glutes, hamstrings, erectors, traps, lats, and grip.

It's also the lift where most people can move the most weight, making it a powerful stimulus for total-body strength and muscle development.

The Setup

A good deadlift starts before you ever touch the bar. Here's the step-by-step setup:

1. Foot placement: Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly out (5–15°). The bar should be over your mid-foot — about an inch from your shins.
2. Grip: Reach down and grab the bar just outside your legs. Use a double overhand grip to start. Switch to mixed grip or hook grip as weights get heavier.
3. Hip hinge: Push your hips back, bend your knees until your shins touch the bar. Your hips should be higher than your knees but lower than your shoulders.
4. Brace: Take a big breath into your belly, brace your core like you're about to get punched. Pull your lats tight — think "put your shoulder blades in your back pockets."
5. Slack out of the bar: Before you pull, take the slack out of the bar by applying force gradually. You should hear a click as the bar meets the plates.

The Pull

With your brace locked in and the slack out of the bar:

• Drive through the floor with your legs. Think "leg press the earth away."
• Keep the bar in contact with your body throughout the entire lift — it should drag up your shins and thighs.
• Once the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward to lockout.
• At the top, stand tall with your chest up and shoulders back. Don't hyperextend your lower back.
• Lower the bar by hinging at the hips first, then bending the knees once the bar passes them.

Common Mistakes

These are the errors we see most often in new deadlifters:

• Rounding the lower back. This is the most dangerous mistake. If you can't maintain a neutral spine, the weight is too heavy. Drop the ego and reduce the load.
• Starting with hips too low. The deadlift is not a squat. If your hips start too low, the bar will drift forward and you'll lose leverage.
• Jerking the bar off the floor. A smooth, controlled pull is always stronger and safer than yanking. Build tension gradually.
• Bar drifting away from the body. The farther the bar gets from your center of mass, the harder the lift becomes and the more stress on your lower back.

Deadlift Variations

Once you've mastered the conventional deadlift, these variations can address weaknesses and add variety:

• Romanian Deadlift (RDL): Emphasizes hamstrings and glutes. Start from the top and hinge to mid-shin.
• Sumo Deadlift: Wider stance, hands inside the knees. Better for lifters with longer torsos or limited hip mobility.
• Trap Bar Deadlift: More quad-dominant and easier on the lower back. Great for beginners or athletes.
• Deficit Deadlift: Stand on a 1–2" platform. Increases range of motion and builds strength off the floor.

Programming the Deadlift

For beginners, deadlift once or twice per week. Here's a simple progression:

• Weeks 1–4: 3×5 at RPE 7 (about 3 reps in reserve)
• Weeks 5–8: 4×4 with increased load
• Weeks 9–12: 5×3 approaching your 5-rep max for triples

Always prioritize form over load. A technically proficient deadlift at moderate weight will always produce better long-term results than ugly reps at heavy weight.