What Is The Proper Way To Do Barbell Deadlifts?

The traditional deadlift and straight-leg deadlift are variations of the exercise that you can perform with a barbell. The exercises target the gluteus maximus and hamstring muscles, which extend your hips, and the erector spinae muscle group and deep spinal muscles, which extend your spine. The traditional variation also works the quadriceps, which extend your knees. Performing the exercises correctly is essential for maximizing the benefits that they provide and for preventing injuries. Consult an exercise professional for guidance as you're learning and practicing the proper techniques.

Traditional Deadlifts

Perform the traditional deadlift on a flat surface. Place a barbell on the floor and load it with your desired amount of weight. Stand with your toes under the bar, pointing forward, and your feet about shoulder-width apart. Flex your hips and knees, keeping your spine straight, to lower your body, then grasp the barbell with your arms just outside your knees and your palms facing backward. Powerfully extend your hips and knees to stand back up, lifting the bar in front of your thighs, then lower it to the floor slowly and repeat.

Straight-leg Deadlifts

Start in the same manner as the traditional deadlift to perform the straight-leg version of the exercise, but flex only your hips when you lower your body to grasp the bar; keep your knees only slightly flexed. Hold the bar with your arms straight, your hands slightly wider than your feet and your palms facing backward. Extend your hips, keeping your back as straight as possible, to lift the bar in front of your thighs, then slowly reverse to the starting position and repeat.

Variations

The sumo deadlift and single-leg deadlift are variations of the traditional and straight-leg exercises, respectively. The first is just like the traditional version, but you spread your feet much wider than your shoulders, angle your feet outward about 45 degrees and keep your arms inside your knees instead of outside. Likewise, the single-leg deadlift is just like the straight-leg version, but you extend one leg at a time behind your body until it's parallel to the floor during the downward-movement phase of the exercise and return your foot to the starting position during the upward-movement phase.

Considerations

Allowing your spine to flex considerably while you perform any deadlift variation can cause a lower-back injury, so always keep your spine as straight as possible. Have a partner watch you closely and provide you with feedback about your technique.

The traditional deadlift and sumo deadlift are multijoint exercises, so you can use more weight than for the straight-leg variations, which are single-joint exercises. Perform the traditional deadlift two or three times per week, completing three to six sets of six to 12 repetitions during each session if you're training to build muscle mass, or one to six repetitions to build maximal strength. Do the straight-leg deadlift two or three times per week as well, but perform only three sets of eight to 12 repetitions during each session.