Deadlift: setup, the slack pull and bar path
Bar over mid-foot, shins close to the bar, hips high enough that your shoulders sit slightly in front of the bar, brace, take the slack out, then push the floor away and drag the bar up your legs. The bar path should be essentially vertical.
Conventional or sumo
- Conventional. Feet about hip width, hands outside the legs. More lower back and hamstring demand, longer range of motion.
- Sumo. Wide stance, hands inside the legs. More upright torso, more quad and adductor involvement, shorter range. Often kinder to the lower back.
Neither is cheating and neither is inherently better. Proportions decide: long femurs and a short torso often favour sumo; long arms often favour conventional. Try both for a few weeks and use the one you can load and control better.
Setup, in order
The deadlift is unusual in that a good setup makes the lift almost automatic, and a bad setup cannot be rescued once the bar is moving.
- Bar over mid-foot. Not against the shins, not over the toes. From above, the bar should roughly bisect your foot.
- Stance about hip width for conventional, toes slightly out.
- Bend and grip just outside the legs. Keep the bar where it is — do not drag it toward you.
- Shins come to the bar as you drop your hips, so the bar is almost touching.
- Hips high, not low. Shoulders should end up slightly in front of the bar, with the shoulder blades roughly over it. This is a hinge, not a squat.
- Chest up, back flat. Neutral spine, not hyperextended.
- Breathe in and brace hard. This has to happen before you pull, not during.
- Take the slack out. Pull up gently until you feel the bar engage against the plates and your body goes tight. The bar has not left the floor yet.
- Then pull. Push the floor away, keep the bar against your legs.
Step eight is the one most people skip, and it is the difference between a smooth pull and a jerk. Yanking from a loose position is how backs get hurt and how heavy pulls get missed.
The pull and the lockout
- Bar path should be vertical. Any forward drift massively increases the load on your lower back. The bar should drag lightly up your shins and thighs — long socks or shin sleeves if that bothers you.
- Hips and shoulders rise together until the bar passes the knees.
- Drive the hips through at the top, squeezing the glutes.
- Finish standing straight. Do not lean back or flare the ribs — leaning back at the top adds nothing and loads the lumbar spine in extension.
- The descent is a hinge back down. Push the hips back first, then bend the knees once the bar passes them.
- Reset each rep. Deadlifts are done as repeated singles more than as flowing sets — take the slack out again each time.
Faults and fixes
| Fault | What you see | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Hips shoot up first | Bar stays on the floor while the hips rise | Take the slack out of the bar and lift the chest before the bar moves. |
| Bar drifts away from the shins | Gap between bar and legs | Start with the bar over mid-foot, roughly against the shins, and drag it up the legs. |
| Rounding under load | Spine flexes as the weight leaves the floor | Reduce the weight. Brace before the pull, not during it. |
| Jerking off the floor | Sudden yank, bar bends before it moves | Pull the slack out first, then apply force smoothly. |
| Hyperextending at the top | Leaning back, ribs flared | Stand up straight, squeeze the glutes, stop there. |
| Squatting the deadlift | Hips very low, shins vertical | Set the hips higher; this is a hinge, not a squat. |
| Dropping every rep | No control on the descent | Fine for heavy singles. Control it for hypertrophy work. |
On rounding, some nuance is warranted. A slightly rounded upper back is common in strong deadlifters and is not the same thing as the lower back rounding under load. The lower back flexing while you pull heavy is the pattern to avoid, and the fix is always the same: less weight until you can hold position.
Programming it
- Strength: 3–5 sets of 1–5 reps, 3–5 minutes' rest.
- Hypertrophy: 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps, controlled descent.
- Frequency: once or twice a week. The deadlift is more systemically fatiguing than most lifts — factor that into total volume.
- Lower volume than squats or bench. High-rep heavy deadlifting degrades technique quickly.
- Progression: 2.5–5 kg when all sets are comfortable.
- Straps are fine. If your grip fails before your back and legs, straps let you train the target muscles. Train grip separately if you care about it — see farmer's carry.
Variations
- Romanian deadlift — hamstring-focused, no floor contact — see Romanian deadlift.
- Trap bar deadlift. More upright, easier to learn, less lower back stress. An excellent default for general training.
- Deficit deadlift. Standing on a plate. More range, harder off the floor.
- Rack pull / block pull. Shortened range, heavier loads, useful if the floor position is the limitation.
- Paused deadlift. Pause just below the knee to build position.
- Single-leg Romanian deadlift. Low load, high balance and hamstring demand.
Common questions
Is the deadlift bad for your back?
No. It is one of the better exercises for building a resilient back, when the load is appropriate and position is maintained.
Sumo or conventional?
Whichever you can load and control better. Proportions decide.
Should I use a belt?
Helpful on heavy sets. It supports your brace; it does not replace it.
Are straps cheating?
No. They let you train your legs and back rather than being limited by your grip.
Should I drop the bar or lower it?
Control it for hypertrophy work. Heavy singles can be lowered quickly, and dropping is acceptable only where the gym and equipment allow.
Why do my hips shoot up first?
Usually not taking the slack out, or too much weight. Sometimes a weak upper back.
Is a rounded upper back a problem?
Mild upper back rounding is common and tolerable. Lower back rounding under load is not.
How often should I deadlift?
Once or twice a week, with less volume than your squat or press work.
The practical version
- Bar over mid-foot, shins close, hips high enough that shoulders sit slightly in front of the bar.
- Brace before you pull, then take the slack out of the bar before it leaves the floor.
- Bar path vertical — drag it up your legs, never let it drift forward.
- Finish standing straight. Do not lean back at the top.
- Reset each rep; lower volume and frequency than your other main lifts.
- Straps and belts are tools, not cheating.
Key takeaways
- Bar over mid-foot with hips high enough that the shoulders sit slightly in front of the bar.
- Taking the slack out of the bar before pulling is the step most people skip.
- The bar path must be vertical — forward drift sharply increases lower-back load.
- Finish standing straight; leaning back at the top adds nothing and loads the lumbar spine.
- Mild upper-back rounding is common; lower-back rounding under load is the fault to fix.
- The deadlift is more systemically fatiguing, so use lower volume than squats or bench.
Related reading
General information, not medical or individualised advice. Speak to a doctor before starting a new programme, especially if you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are returning from injury. If you train with a coach, their guidance takes precedence.
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