Deadlift
A hinge movement where you lift a weight from the floor by driving your hips forward to stand tall.
Overview
The deadlift is a hip-hinge movement in which you lift a loaded barbell (or dumbbells or a kettlebell) from the floor to a standing position. The motion is driven by the hips moving backward and then forward, rather than by squatting down, so the back stays long and braced throughout.
It is a whole-body exercise that involves the muscles along the back of the body, from the hamstrings and glutes up through the back, along with a strong grip. Learning the hinge pattern first — with light or no load — is the usual starting point.
The movement
- 1Stand with the weight over your mid-foot and grip it with hands just outside your legs.
- 2Set your hips back and chest up so your back is long and braced.
- 3Drive your feet into the floor and push your hips forward to stand tall.
- 4Return the weight by hinging your hips back and lowering it with control.
Beginner notes
- Learning the hip-hinge pattern first, with light or no load, is a common starting point.
- The bar or weight stays close to the body as it travels up and down.
- The back stays long and braced rather than rounding.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Weightlifting
A technical strength sport built around lifting a loaded barbell overhead with speed and control.
Powerlifting
A strength sport focused on lifting the heaviest weight you can across the squat, bench press and deadlift.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
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Movement patterns
- HingeA hip-dominant pattern: bend forward at the hips with a flat back, minimal knee bend, then drive the hips tall — powers pulling from the floor and jumping.
- SquatA knee-dominant pattern: bending the hips, knees and ankles to lower and rise while keeping the torso upright — the foundation of lower-body strength.
- LungeA split-stance, single-leg-emphasis pattern: stepping or dropping into a staggered stance and pushing back up to build single-leg strength, balance and stability.
- AccelerationThe athletic pattern of building speed from a standing or slow start by driving large horizontal forces into the ground to project the body forward.
- SlideA slide is a controlled, low-friction skid of the body or foot along a surface, used to brake, extend reach, or hold a line, where managed friction and a lowered centre of gravity govern the movement.
Coaching concepts
- Repetition QualityThe attention and intent behind each repetition matter more than raw volume — focused, well-executed reps build skill faster than mindless numbers.
- Feedback and CueingFeedback from your senses, a coach, or video plus short instructional cues guide skill learning — including internal vs external focus of attention.
- Skill acquisitionHow a movement or sports skill is learned — progressing from conscious, effortful control to smooth, largely automatic execution through practice and feedback.
Techniques
- DeadliftA strength exercise that lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees together.
- Sprint StartThe explosive start of a sprint from a set, crouched position, driving forward low before gradually rising to full stride.
- Bodyweight SquatA foundational lower-body exercise that lowers the hips by bending the knees and hips, then stands back up, using only body weight.
Skills
- Running formThe skill of running with efficient, relaxed and balanced movement.
- Core stabilityThe skill of engaging the trunk muscles to keep the body strong and controlled through movement.
- BreaststrokeA swimming stroke using a symmetrical arm sweep and a frog-like kick, with the head lifting to breathe.
Disciplines
Sports science
- ProprioceptionThe body’s internal sense of where its parts are and how they are moving — the awareness behind balance and coordinated movement.
- Motor controlHow the brain and nervous system organise the muscles to produce coordinated, controlled movement.
- BiomechanicsThe study of how the body produces and controls movement — the mechanics behind every technique in sport.
- Reaction timeThe short delay between a signal and the start of the movement made in response to it.
- Range of motionHow far a joint can travel through its movement — the arc available at a joint, and the foundation of flexibility and mobility.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Exercise
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-06
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