How to Deadlift: Conventional Setup & Form Guide
How to deadlift correctly — stance, hip hinge, bar path, breathing and bracing. The complete setup that keeps your lower back safe when pulling heavy.
P
Pasha Mor
Founder, 1RM.fit · August 18, 2026
How to deadlift correctly is the single most-searched lifting question — and the one people mess up most often. A rounded-back deadlift with 60 kg is riskier than a perfect deadlift with 200 kg. The setup is everything.
I'm Pasha, founder of 1RM.fit. Deadlift is the heaviest lift most lifters ever load. Here's the complete guide to how to deadlift with proper form.
The Conventional Deadlift Setup — 6 Key Points
1. Foot Position
- Feet hip-width apart, roughly under your hips
- Bar over mid-foot (bar should touch your shins when you bend down)
- Toes pointed slightly out (~10°)
2. Grip
- Hands just outside your legs
- Double overhand for warm-ups and light sets
- Mixed grip (one over, one under) or hook grip for heavy sets
3. Setup Position
- Hips higher than knees, lower than shoulders
- Shins touching the bar
- Shoulders slightly in front of the bar
- Neutral neck — look at floor 2m ahead, not up at the ceiling
4. Bracing
- Big breath IN before pulling
- Push belly out against belt (or your abs)
- Hold breath through the lift, exhale after lockout
5. The Pull
- Push the floor away with your feet (don't "pull" the bar up)
- Bar stays in contact with your legs throughout
- Hips and shoulders rise at the same rate
6. Lockout
- Stand tall — hips forward, glutes squeezed
- Do NOT lean back or hyperextend
- Pause at top, then lower controlled (2-3 seconds)
The 5 Deadlift Mistakes That Wreck Backs
- Rounded lower back: #1 injury cause. Drop weight until you can hold neutral
- Bar drifting away from body: Increases lever arm on lower back. Keep bar against shins/thighs
- Hips rising faster than shoulders: Turns the deadlift into a stiff-leg RDL — bad news for lower back
- Jerking the bar off the floor: Take slack out with a hard pull before the actual lift begins
- Neck extension (looking up): Cervical spine goes into hyperextension under load. Neutral neck
Conventional vs Sumo Deadlift
- Conventional: Feet hip-width, hands outside legs. More lower back involvement. Longer range of motion.
- Sumo: Wide stance, hands inside legs. More quad and hip involvement. Shorter range. Better for lifters with long torso + short arms.
Try both for 8 weeks each early in your training. Whichever you're stronger at, go with that.
Belt or No Belt?
- Under 70% 1RM: No belt. Train your bracing.
- 70-85% 1RM: Optional. Try both.
- Above 85% 1RM: Belt on. It adds 5-10% by giving your core something to brace against.
Chalk, Straps, Hook Grip
- Chalk: Always. Sweaty hands cost you reps.
- Straps: Only when grip becomes the limiting factor on heavy work sets
- Hook grip: Painful for a month, then permanent. Best long-term option for heavy singles.
Should You Touch and Go, or Reset?
- Touch and go: Uses the stretch reflex. Faster reps. Easier
- Full reset: Every rep from a dead stop. Harder. Better for building strength
For strength: full reset. For volume/hypertrophy work: touch and go is fine.
The deadlift teaches you more about your body under load than any other lift. If you can pull 2x bodyweight with a neutral spine, you've mastered the fundamental hip hinge every human should own.
Programming Your Deadlift
- Beginners: 1× per week, 1×5 → see our 5x5 workout program guide
- Intermediates: Deadlift or a variant (RDL, deficit) 1-2× per week, 5/3/1 percentages
- Advanced: Block periodization with speed pulls, paused pulls, and heavy singles rotated
Track Every Deadlift Set
1RM.fit auto-detects deadlift PRs. Working sets, reps, weights, and progression graphs over months.
Download 1RM.fit free and start tracking your deadlift progress.
More reading: how to squat, how to bench press, or best powerlifting app.
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