Ask most people about deadlifts and you’ll get one of two reactions. Either they love them, or they’re terrified of them. The scared group usually thinks deadlifts will snap their back in half. The truth is, a properly executed deadlift is one of the safest and most beneficial exercises you can do.
The issue isn’t the exercise. It’s how people learn it. Or more accurately, how they don’t learn it before loading up the bar.
What Makes the Deadlift So Good
The deadlift works more muscles simultaneously than almost any other exercise. We’re talking glutes, hamstrings, quads, core, lats, traps, forearms, and grip. In one movement, you’re training your entire posterior chain plus a good chunk of everything else.
But the real reason everyone should deadlift has nothing to do with bodybuilding or powerlifting. It’s about function. Every time you pick something up off the ground, you’re doing a deadlift pattern. Groceries. Your kid. A box at work. A suitcase at the airport. If you can’t hinge at the hips and lift properly, you’re setting yourself up for back injuries in daily life.
Training the deadlift teaches your body how to do this safely and efficiently, under load and under control.
The Hip Hinge: Get This Right First
Before you touch a weight, you need to own the hip hinge. This is the foundation of every deadlift variation.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Push your hips back like you’re trying to close a car door with your bum. Keep your shins mostly vertical and your chest proud. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings. That’s the hinge.
Common mistakes:
- Squatting instead of hinging. The deadlift is a hip-dominant movement, not a knee-dominant one. Your hips go back, not down.
- Rounding the lower back. Keep your spine neutral throughout. If you can’t, the weight is too heavy or your hamstrings are too tight.
- Looking up at the ceiling. Keep your neck in line with your spine. Pick a spot on the floor a couple of metres ahead and focus there.
Deadlift Variations for Every Level
You don’t have to pull 200kg from the floor to benefit from deadlifts. There’s a variation for everyone.
Kettlebell deadlift: Perfect for beginners. Weight is between your feet, lower starting position, easier to control.
Romanian deadlift (RDL): Starts from the top, weight goes down to about mid-shin. Focuses on the hamstrings and the eccentric (lowering) portion. Brilliant for building hamstring strength and control.
Sumo deadlift: Wider stance, hands inside the knees. Takes some stress off the lower back and shifts more work to the inner thighs and glutes. Good option for people with longer torsos.
Trap bar deadlift: Handles are beside you instead of in front. More natural for most people and easier on the lower back. If your gym has one, it’s a great option.
Conventional barbell deadlift: The classic. Hip-width stance, hands just outside the knees. Once your technique is solid, this is where you build serious strength.
Programming Deadlifts Into Your Week
You don’t need to deadlift every day. Two sessions per week that include a hip hinge pattern is plenty for most people. One heavy day with lower reps (3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps) and one lighter day focused on technique and volume (3 sets of 8 to 12 reps) works well.
If you’re training with us, deadlift patterns are built into the programming regularly. We cycle through variations to keep things interesting and to make sure every angle is covered.
Common Fears, Addressed
“Won’t I hurt my back?” Not if your technique is sound and you progress the weight sensibly. Deadlifts actually strengthen your back. People who deadlift regularly have fewer back issues, not more.
“I’m too old for deadlifts.” No, you’re not. If anything, the older you get, the more important it is to train this pattern. The ability to pick things up safely is essential for independent living as you age.
“My hamstrings are too tight.” That’s a reason to deadlift more, not less. The RDL in particular builds hamstring flexibility through loaded stretching. Your range of motion will improve over weeks.
Learn the pattern. Start light. Progress steadily. The deadlift will pay you back for years.
