The Dumbbell Deadlift is a beginner-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the hamstrings and glutes, with the quadriceps, abdominals, traps, forearms and lower back working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesHamstrings, Glutes
Secondary musclesQuads, Abs, Traps, Forearms, Lower Back
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Deadlift
Take a dumbbell in each hand and set your feet about hip width apart.
Set your chest up, shoulders back and abdominals braced.
Keep a slight bend in your knees and push your hips backward.
Let the weights track close along your thighs and shins while your back stays flat.
Stop when you feel the stretch in your hamstrings, keeping the weights close.
Push through your heels and drive your hips forward to stand tall.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Teaches the hip hinge with a load that is easy to scale and easy to drop.
Trains hamstrings and glutes without needing a rack or a barbell.
Loads each side independently, so weak sides cannot hide.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Squatting the weights down instead of pushing the hips back, which unloads the hamstrings.
Letting the dumbbells drift away from the legs, which strains the lower back.
Rounding the upper back so the shoulders roll forward under the load.
Driving up through the toes instead of the heels, which pitches the weight forward.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Deadlift, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
