How to deadlift - Step by step technique and tips for beginners
Deadlifts work your legs, glutes and back in one movement. We break down deadlift technique step by step, explain which muscles work and help you get started with a fitting weight as a beginner.
Warm up before deadlifting
Start with a few minutes of easy cycling, rowing or brisk walking to warm up.
Follow with some dynamic warm-up exercises, such as bodyweight hip hinges and squats. Need a few pointers on your squat form? Take a look at our guide to squat variations and technique.
Then do a few light deadlift warm-up sets. Gradually increase the weight until you reach the load you plan to use for your working sets.
The guide below covers standard barbell deadlifts. Focus on keeping the bar close to your body, your core braced and the movement under control.
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and the bar over the middle of your feet, a few centimetres from your shins.
Your toes can point straight ahead or slightly outwards.
Keep your whole foot in contact with the floor.
Push your hips back and grip the bar just outside your legs.
Then bend your knees until your shins are close to the bar, without rolling it forwards.
Keep your knees pointing in the same direction as your toes and your arms straight.
Your hips will usually sit higher than your knees and lower than your shoulders.
Brace your core and get ready to lift
Take a breath and brace your core all the way around your waist, as if you were getting ready for a gentle push.
Keep your back stable and roughly neutral, without exaggerating the arch. Let your neck follow the line of your spine.
Engage your lats by imagining you are holding something in your armpits. You don't need to squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Gently pull against the bar until you feel tension through your body, before the weight leaves the floor.
Press your feet into the floor and stand up by extending your knees and hips. Let your hips and shoulders start rising together, keeping your arms straight and the bar close to your legs.
Finish standing upright with your hips and knees extended. Avoid jerking the weight, leaning back or shrugging your shoulders.
Push your hips back and let the bar travel down along your thighs.
Bend your knees more once the bar has passed them, then lower the weight to the floor.
Let the bar settle, take another breath and brace your core again before the next repetition.
5 common deadlift mistakes and how to avoid them
Letting the bar move away from your body.
- Keep the bar close to your legs from start to finish. Letting it drift forwards makes the lift harder.Letting your hips rise too soon.
- If your hips rise before the bar moves, they may be too low to start with. Adjust your position or try a lighter weight so your hips and shoulders rise together.Losing control of your back position.
- If your back starts rounding more as you lift, the weight may be too heavy. Try a lighter weight, brace your core and keep the movement controlled. Don’t push through back pain.Rushing the lift.
- Take a breath, brace your core and gently pull against the bar before lifting. If you need to jerk it off the floor, try a lighter weight.Leaning back at the top.
- Once you’re standing tall, the lift is done. There’s no need to lean back or push your hips further forwards.
Stop if you feel sharp pain, pain that spreads or any new pain. If it doesn’t go away or keeps coming back, speak to a doctor.
For more tips on managing your training load, read our interview with Peter Hedström on how to avoid overuse injuries when training.
Frequently asked questions about deadlifts
There is no single starting weight that suits everyone. Choose a weight you can lift for five to eight controlled repetitions while feeling you could still do a few more.
Check how much the bar weighs at your gym. If it feels too heavy, start with a lighter technique bar or a kettlebell.
Once your lifts feel steady and controlled, add weight a little at a time. Rest enough between sets to feel ready for the next one.
Deadlifts mainly work your glutes, quads, hamstrings and back. Your legs and glutes help lift the weight, while your spinal erectors and abdominal muscles keep your torso stable.
Your lats help keep the bar close to your body, and your forearms work to maintain your grip.
Want to give your core some extra attention? Our guide to plank technique and variations has tips and different versions to try.
Deadlifts are a good choice when you want to build strength across several major muscle groups at once.
Your legs, glutes and back work alongside your core and grip. Both the weight and the height you lift from can be adjusted to suit your level.
By doing deadlifts you also practice lifting technique, and lifting something off the ground is a movement you use often in everyday life.
For barbell deadlifts, you need a bar, weight plates, collars and a flat surface designed for lifting.
You do not need a lifting belt or lifting straps to get started, but you can of course add these things later on if you want.
Think about the height of the bar, too. Small plates or an empty bar bring your grip closer to the floor, which can make the starting position harder to reach. If the bar sits too low, raise it on stable lifting blocks or use larger, lightweight plates.
Choose clothes that feel comfortable and let you bend freely at the hips and knees. At Björn Borg, you will find women’s workout clothes and men’s sports clothes for all your gym sessions.
Start with a comfortable base layer, with women’s sports underwear and sports bras or men’s sports underwear that stays in place as you move.
Shoes with flat, firm soles give you a stable connection with the floor. Check out our men's shoes and our shoes for women here. You can also deadlift in socks if your gym allows it and you can keep your feet firmly in place without slipping.