Gym
Hamstrings
Glutes
Intermediate
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Gym
Deadlift
The classic barbell hinge: lift a loaded bar from the floor to lockout. Few movements build total-body strength — posterior chain, grip and trunk — as effectively.
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Suggested use
Sets
3
Reps
3-6
Rest
3m 00s
Gym
Advanced
Strength
Power
Hinge
Muscles worked
Primary
Glutes
Hamstrings
Erector spinae
Secondary
Quads
Lats
Traps
Forearms
Equipment
Barbell
How to do it
- Stand with mid-foot under the bar, feet hip-width apart.
- Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your legs with straight arms.
- Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, chest up, back flat.
- Pull the slack out of the bar, take a deep breath, and brace your trunk hard.
- Push the floor away, keeping the bar dragging lightly along your legs.
- Finish by standing tall with hips and knees locked — no leaning back.
- Hinge and lower the bar under control back to the floor before the next rep.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back off the floor — reset your hips and chest before every pull.
- Letting the bar drift away from the legs, which turns the lift into a back exercise.
- Jerking the bar off the floor instead of pulling the slack out first.
- Hyperextending at lockout — finish tall, glutes squeezed, ribs down.
- Treating the lowering phase as a free-fall; control it to protect your back.
Safety first
- Master the hinge with a Romanian deadlift or light kettlebell before pulling heavy from the floor.
- Keep the load conservative until your setup looks identical on every rep.
- If your back rounds on a rep, end the set — form beats load every time.
- Use a flat, stable surface and secure collars on the bar.
Who should avoid or modify
- Current or recent lower-back injury — consult a licensed clinician before deadlifting.
- Recent abdominal or spinal surgery (consult your clinician).
- Uncontrolled blood-pressure or cardiovascular conditions — heavy straining lifts are demanding; check with your clinician.
- Pregnancy — seek individualized guidance from a qualified professional.
Breathing and tempo
Breathing: Inhale and brace before the bar leaves the floor; exhale at lockout or between reps.
Tempo: Drive up powerfully, then take 2-3 controlled seconds to return the bar to the floor.
