Deadlift--Conventional

Setup & Positioning

"Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, toes pointed forward or slightly out. The barbell should be over your midfoot. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the bar just outside your legs, keeping your arms straight and shoulders directly over or slightly in front of the bar. Pull your shoulder blades down and back, brace your core, and keep your spine neutral."

Key point: “Your hips should be higher than in a squat but lower than in a stiff-leg deadlift—find the position where you feel your hamstrings loaded and your chest up.”

Execution

"Drive through your heels, pushing the floor away as you extend your hips and knees together. Keep the bar close to your body, sliding it up your shins and thighs. Stand tall at the top with your chest proud and glutes squeezed—don’t lean back. Reverse the movement by hinging at your hips first, then bending your knees once the bar passes them, lowering the bar under control back to the floor."

Where You Should Feel It

• Hamstrings and glutes driving the lift
• Core bracing to stabilize the spine
• Lats and traps holding the bar close to your body

Where You Shouldn’t Feel It

• Sharp pain in the lower back from rounding
• Excess strain in the knees from squatting the weight up
• Shoulder discomfort from letting the bar drift forward

Breathing

"Take a deep breath and brace before lifting, exhale at the top, and reset your breath before the next rep."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Rounding the lower back – Increases risk of injury.
2. Bar drifting forward – Keep it close to your shins and thighs.
3. Jerking the weight off the floor – Pull smoothly with tension already in your body.
4. Leaning back at the top – Stand tall without overextending.