Lower body · Hamstrings
Conventional deadlift
Learn how to do the conventional barbell deadlift without overloading your back: muscles worked, execution, typical mistakes and alternatives.
| Focus | Hamstrings · glutes, lower back, traps, forearms (grip) |
| Movement | Hip hinge |
| Equipment | Barbell |
| Suggested sets | 4 × 6 |
| Estimated time | ≈ 14 min |
| Joints loaded |
The deadlift means lifting a barbell from the floor until you are standing upright. It is the exercise where you can move the most weight, and it trains the whole posterior chain: hamstrings, glutes and back. Done well, it strengthens the lower back; done poorly, it is one of the most common causes of lower-back pain in the gym.
Muscles worked
The hamstrings and glutes extend the hips to stand you up. The spinal erectors keep your back straight throughout the lift. The quads also help break the bar off the floor, and the traps and forearm muscles hold the grip.
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the bar over mid-foot (almost touching your shins).
- Hinge down by pushing your hips back and grab the bar with your hands just outside your legs.
- Lower your hips until your shins touch the bar. Chest up, gaze slightly down and forward, back straight.
- Take a breath, brace your abs and "take the slack out" of the bar by pulling gently before you lift.
- Push the floor away with your legs and drive your hips forward, keeping the bar close to your body the whole way.
- Finish standing tall with your glutes squeezed, without leaning back. To lower, push your hips back first and bend your knees once the bar passes them.
Common mistakes
- Rounded back. This is the most important mistake: reduce the weight until you can keep a neutral spine.
- Bar drifting away from the body. It greatly increases leverage on your back. The bar should brush your legs.
- Pulling with the arms. Your arms are hooks: the movement comes from the legs and hips.
- Hyperextending at the top, leaning the torso back. Standing straight is enough.
Variations and progression
The Romanian deadlift starts from the top and emphasizes the hamstrings with less load on the back. The trap-bar or kettlebell deadlift is friendlier for learning. Use short sets (4 to 6 reps) and add weight gradually.
Precautions
It loads the ankle, knee, hip and lower back. If you have a history of disc herniation or lower-back pain, check with a professional first and consider alternatives such as the hip thrust or the leg curl.
Alternatives with less joint load
They train the same muscle group. Highlighted joints are also loaded by the exercise on this page.
- Leg curl (seated or lying) · Knee flexion
- Nordic hamstring curl · Knee flexion
- Romanian deadlift · Hip hinge
- Barbell good morning · Hip hinge
Log your sets for this exercise and see your progress month by month.
Start for freeIf you have an injury, pain or a medical condition, check with a professional before doing this exercise.