Mastering The Deadlift: How To Increase Your Weight With Perfect Form, by Squat University on YouTube. 5 min 49 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 49 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Load a barbell on the floor with a weight you can lift for 5 clean reps. Start light and add plates only when your form holds.
Stand with your midfoot under the bar and feet hip-width apart, toes slightly out. The bar should sit about 1 inch from your shins.
Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to grip the bar just outside your legs. Keep your arms straight and your shoulders slightly in front of the bar.
Brace your core, breathe into your belly and pull the slack out of the bar. Keep your back flat, chest up and neck neutral.
Push the floor away with your legs to lift the bar. Keep the bar close to your shins and thighs as it rises.
Stand tall by squeezing your glutes at the top. Do not lean back or overextend your lower back.
Lower the bar by hinging at the hips, then bend your knees once the bar passes them. Keep it close and controlled all the way to the floor.
Do 3 to 5 sets of 5 reps. Add 5 to 10 pounds only when every rep looks the same.
Film one set from the side and check your bar path and back position. Fix one thing at a time.
Tips and common mistakes
Start each rep from a dead stop on the floor; bouncing the bar hides weak positions.
Keep the bar dragging close to your legs, because a bar that drifts forward strains your lower back.
If your lower back rounds or you feel sharp pain, lower the weight and check your brace before adding plates.
Wear flat, thin-soled shoes or lift barefoot on a stable platform for better force transfer.
Questions
How heavy should I start?
Start with an empty bar or a weight you can lift for 5 clean reps. Add 5 to 10 pounds when your form holds.
How often should I deadlift?
Once or twice a week is enough for most beginners. Leave rest days between sessions.
Should I use a mixed grip?
Use a double overhand grip first. Switch to mixed grip or straps only when your grip fails before your back and legs.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
