Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Barbell Deadlift: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The conventional deadlift lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to standing by extending the hips and knees together. It trains the glutes, hamstrings, back extensors, upper back and grip, and usually lets you lift more weight than any other exercise.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound

Written by the FitStack training team. Last reviewed .

Demonstration of the barbell deadlift
Front view: muscles worked by the barbell deadlift. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Back view: muscles worked by the barbell deadlift. Primary: glutes. Secondary: hamstrings.
Primary Secondary

How to do the barbell deadlift

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the ground in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to lower your torso and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Keep your back straight and chest lifted as you drive through your heels to lift the barbell off the ground, extending your hips and knees.
  4. Step 4: As you stand up straight, squeeze your glutes and keep your core engaged.
  5. Step 5: Lower the barbell back down to the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Form cues

  • Stand with the bar over the middle of your foot, feet about hip width.
  • Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your legs; bring your shins to the bar without moving it.
  • Pull the slack out of the bar: chest up, lats tight ("protect your armpits") and hips set where your shoulders are just in front of the bar.
  • Push the floor away and keep the bar dragging up your legs.
  • Finish by standing tall with glutes squeezed. Do not lean back.

Common barbell deadlift mistakes

  • Starting with the bar too far forward over the toes.

    Fix: Line the bar up over the mid-foot before you bend down, and keep it touching your legs.

  • Jerking the bar off the floor.

    Fix: Build tension first: pull until the plates almost lift, then press with the legs.

  • Rounding the lower back as the bar leaves the floor.

    Fix: Reduce the load, brace harder and keep the lats engaged so the bar stays close.

  • Hyperextending at lockout.

    Fix: Stand straight with glutes tight; the lift ends when hips and knees are fully extended.

Sets, reps and programming

Deadlifts are tiring, so most lifters do them once or twice a week for 1 to 5 sets of 1 to 6 reps, with 3 to 5 minutes of rest. Leave one or two reps in reserve on most sets; heavy grinding reps cost a lot of recovery for little extra benefit.

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell deadlift by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Variations and progressions

Barbell Deadlift alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

Barbell Deadlift FAQs

Are deadlifts bad for your back?

Not when the load matches your ability and you progress gradually. Like any heavy lift, the risk comes from load you cannot control. Many people with a history of back pain train the deadlift safely with sensible progression; get individual advice if you have a current injury.

Should I use lifting straps or a mixed grip?

Use a double overhand grip for as long as you can hold it, which trains grip strength. For heavier sets, straps or a hook grip are fine. A mixed grip works but load it evenly by switching which hand faces forward.

What muscles do deadlifts work?

The glutes, hamstrings, adductors, quads and spinal erectors move the weight; the lats, upper back, traps and forearms hold the bar close and stop it pulling you forward.

More glutes exercises

See the best glute exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset; cues, mistakes, programming and FAQs are written by FitStack.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.