Guides · Strength training · Updated 2026-10-22
How do I deadlift with good form?
Stand with the bar over the middle of your feet, hip-width stance. Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your legs, bring your shins to the bar, then flatten your back and brace. Push the floor away and stand up with the bar close to your legs, finishing tall without leaning back, then lower it the same way. Start light and keep your back flat on every rep.
- Stand over the bar. Feet about hip-width apart, with the bar over the middle of your feet.
- Grip. Hinge at the hips and grab the bar just outside your legs, arms straight.
- Set your back. Bend your knees until your shins touch the bar. Lift your chest so your back is flat, and pull the slack out of the bar.
- Brace and push. Take a big breath, brace your core, then push the floor away with your legs, keeping the bar against your legs.
- Finish and lower. Stand tall with your hips through, without leaning back. Lower by pushing your hips back, then bending your knees once the bar passes them.
Learn the hinge first
The deadlift is a hip hinge: your hips move back and forward while your back stays flat. If it’s new to you, practice with a dumbbell Romanian deadlift or a kettlebell deadlift before a loaded barbell.
Common problems, and fixes
| Problem | Try |
|---|---|
| Back rounds as the bar leaves the floor | Lower the weight. Lift your chest and pull the slack out before you lift |
| Bar drifts away from your legs | Keep it touching your legs the whole way. Think of pushing the floor, not pulling the bar |
| Hips shoot up first | Start with your hips a little higher, and push with your legs as your chest rises |
| Leaning back at the top | Finish by squeezing your glutes and standing tall. That’s enough |
Safety
Use plates that put the bar at the right height (standard 45 lb or 20 kg plates), or raise it on blocks. Warm up with lighter sets. If you feel sharp pain in your back, stop and get it checked before you deadlift again.
Also asked
Is the deadlift bad for your back?
Done with good form and a sensible weight, it's a common, well-tolerated strength exercise. Start light and keep your back flat. Add weight slowly.
Conventional or sumo deadlift?
Both are fine. Sumo uses a wide stance with hands inside the knees; conventional uses a narrower stance. Use the one that feels better for your body.
Should I wear a belt?
You don't need one to start. Learn to brace without it first. Some lifters use one for heavy sets.