The Barbell Deadlift is a intermediate-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the traps and abdominals, with the glutes working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesTraps, Abs
Secondary musclesGlutes
EquipmentBarbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Barbell Deadlift
Stand with feet hip-width apart, the bar over mid-foot, and shins about an inch from the bar.
Hinge down and grip the bar just outside the knees with a flat back and chest tall.
Pull the slack out of the bar, brace your core, and take a big breath into your stomach.
Push the floor away with your legs while keeping the bar dragging close to your shins.
Stand fully tall by squeezing the glutes and locking out the hips and knees together.
Lower the bar by hinging at the hips first, then bending the knees once it passes them.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds total-body pulling strength led by the back, glutes, and hamstrings.
Trains the hinge pattern that protects the back in everyday lifting.
Develops grip, core bracing, and full-body tension under heavy load.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back on the lift-off, which puts the spine in a weak position under heavy load.
Yanking the bar off the floor without pulling the slack first, leading to a jerky pull and missed reps.
Letting the bar drift away from the shins, which lengthens the lever arm and crushes the lower back.
Hyperextending at the top instead of finishing with a tight glute squeeze and stacked rib cage.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Barbell Deadlift, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
