Conventional Deadlift

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Stand with feet hip-width apart, bar over mid-foot. Hinge at the hips and grip the bar just outside your shins with straight arms.

2. 2

   Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, flatten your back, and pull the slack out of the barbell by creating tension before you lift.

3. 3

   Drive through the floor by pressing with your whole foot. Keep the bar close to your body — it should drag up your shins and thighs.

4. 4

   Once the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward to lockout. Stand tall with your glutes squeezed, shoulders back.

5. 5

   Lower the bar by hinging at the hips first, then bending the knees once the bar clears them. Reset on the floor between reps.

Common Mistakes

• Rounding the lower back, which is the number-one cause of deadlift injuries. If your back rounds, the weight is too heavy or your setup needs work.

• Starting with the bar too far from your body. The bar should be over mid-foot and in contact with your shins at the start.

• Hyperextending at the top by leaning back. Stand tall and squeeze your glutes — you do not need to lean backward.

Pro Tips

• Pull the slack out of the bar before you lift. Straighten your arms, engage your lats, and build tension against the bar before it breaks the floor. This eliminates the jerk at the start.

• Cue: "Push the floor away" instead of pulling the bar up. This mental shift engages your legs more effectively off the floor.

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