Deadlift
The deadlift is the simplest job description in strength training: pick the bar off the floor, stand tall, put it back. It loads the glutes, hamstrings, and entire back chain harder than any other movement — and rewards technical patience more than any other lift in this library. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle | 3 × 9–12 | 90 s–2 min |
| Endurance | 2 × 18–27 (light, technique-capped) | 90 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Intermediate
Intermediate under a barbell — the hinge pattern itself should be second nature before plates stack up.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Stand with the bar over your mid-foot, shins a thumb's length away.
- Hinge down and grip just outside your legs, shoulders slightly ahead of the bar.
- Flatten your back and pull the slack out of the bar until it clicks against the plates.
- Push the floor away and stand — bar dragging up your shins and thighs.
- Lock out tall with glutes squeezed, then hinge it back down along the same path.
Breathing: Big breath and brace before the pull, hold through the lift, exhale at lockout or as the bar settles down.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
Common questions
Is the deadlift dangerous?
The movement itself is just picking something up with a flat back — arguably the most life-transferable skill in the gym. Risk enters through loads that outrun technique and fatigue-blind programming. Learn the hinge light, progress patiently, keep filming, and stop sets when form degrades: managed that way, deadlifting builds the very capacity that protects backs.
Should beginners deadlift from the floor?
Only if their build and mobility allow a flat back down there — many beginners cannot yet, and grinding from a compromised bottom position helps nobody. Elevating the bar on blocks or plates, or starting with Romanian deadlifts from the top, trains the same hinge honestly. Lower the starting height as mobility and control arrive.
Deadlifts vs squats — do I need both?
They are complements, not rivals. The squat is knee-dominant and trains the quads through deep range; the deadlift is hip-dominant and loads the hamstrings, glutes, and grip harder, with everything starting from a dead stop. Nearly every complete program includes both patterns, usually anchored on different days.
Related exercises
Easier: Dumbbell Deadlift
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