Dumbbell Deadlift

1. Stand with feet hip width apart, a dumbbell in each hand resting in front of your thighs.
2. Set your shoulders back, lift your chest, and brace your core.
3. Push your hips backward and let the dumbbells slide down the front and sides of your legs, bending your knees slightly as you descend.
4. Lower until the dumbbells reach mid-shin level or your flat back position starts to run out, whichever comes first.
5. Keep the dumbbells close to your legs and your back neutral at the bottom.
6. Drive through your heels and push your hips forward to stand back up.
7. Finish tall by squeezing your glutes at the top without leaning backward.
8. Repeat for the desired reps, resetting your brace before each one.

Common Mistakes

• Rounding the lower back: letting the spine flex under load transfers stress to the discs instead of the hips. Keep your chest up and stop the descent where your back starts to round.
• Squatting the weight up: bending the knees deeply and dropping the hips turns the hinge into a squat. Push the hips back first and keep your shins close to vertical.
• Letting the dumbbells drift forward: weights hanging away from the body multiply the strain on the lower back. Drag the dumbbells lightly along your legs through the whole rep.
• Hyperextending at lockout: leaning back at the top squeezes the lumbar spine, not the glutes. Stand up straight, squeeze the glutes, and stop there.