Common Deadlift Mistake, You are doing it wrong!!

Let’s be real, deadlifts are one of the best exercises you can do for total-body strength, but a lot of people are doing them wrong. Maybe you’ve noticed lower back pain, trouble locking out, or just feel like you’re not getting stronger. The truth is, that small-form mistakes can make a huge difference in your performance and injury risk. The good news? Fixing these mistakes can help you lift heavier, feel stronger, and stay injury-free. In this article, we’ll break down the biggest deadlift errors and, more importantly, show you how to fix them.

Why Proper Deadlift Form Matters

The deadlift is one of the best exercises for building strength and muscle, but if you’re doing it wrong, you’re setting yourself up for injury and poor results. A solid deadlift technique ensures you’re working the right muscles, avoiding strain on your lower back, and getting the most out of your training. Let’s dive into the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

The Most Common Deadlift Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

1. Your Stance is Off

The way you position your feet is more important than you might think. If you stand too close to the bar, your knees will shift forward, throwing off your balance. If you’re too far, you’ll make the lift unnecessarily difficult.

How to Fix It: Position your feet about hip-width apart, with your toes slightly turned out. The bar should be directly over the middle of your foot, roughly an inch away from your shins.

2. Your Hips Are Too High or Too Low

If your hips are too high, you’re basically turning the deadlift into a stiff-leg deadlift, which puts a lot of stress on your lower back. If your hips are too low, the movement becomes more of a squat, reducing the effectiveness of the lift.

How to Fix It: Engage your lats and brace your core before you lift. Your hips should be slightly higher than your knees. A good cue is to think about pushing the floor away with your feet rather than just pulling the bar up.

3. You’re Rounding Your Back

This is one of the biggest mistakes people make, and it’s a surefire way to injure your spine.

How to Fix It: Keep your spine neutral by engaging your core and pulling your shoulders back. A slight arch in your lower back is okay, but avoid excessive rounding or hyperextension.

4. Your Knees Are Caving In

If your knees cave inward during the lift, you’re putting unnecessary strain on your joints and increasing your risk of injury.

How to Fix It: Focus on keeping your knees aligned with your toes. Strengthen your glutes and abductors with exercises like banded squats and lateral leg raises.

5. You’re Yanking the Bar Off the Ground

A lot of lifters make the mistake of jerking the bar off the floor instead of building up tension first. This leads to bad form and increases the risk of injury.

How to Fix It: Before lifting, engage your lats and “take the slack out of the bar” by pulling gently before driving up. This helps you start the lift with control rather than brute force.

6. You’re Overarching at the Top

Some people lean too far back when locking out the lift, which puts unnecessary strain on the lower back.

How to Fix It: At the top of the movement, stand tall and squeeze your glutes—don’t lean back excessively. Your spine should remain neutral.

7. Your Grip Is Weak or Inefficient

If you’re struggling to hold onto the bar, it will limit how much weight you can lift.

How to Fix It: Use a double-overhand grip to build grip strength. For heavier lifts, consider a mixed grip or hook grip. Chalk can also help if your hands get sweaty.

How to Improve Your Deadlift Technique

Set Up Correctly Every Time

A proper setup is key to a successful deadlift. Make sure your feet, grip, and body position are all dialed in before you lift.

Find the Right Hip Position

Your hips should be in a strong, balanced position—not too high or too low. Engage your core and think about pushing the floor away instead of just lifting the bar.

Keep Your Spine Neutral

Avoid rounding or hyperextending your back. Engage your core and focus on maintaining good posture throughout the movement.

Control Your Lift

Rather than yanking the bar up, build tension before lifting. Drive through your heels and keep the bar close to your body.

Strengthen Your Grip

If your grip is a weak point, work on improving it with grip exercises and use chalk for extra support.

Why Good Form Makes a Difference

You’ll Work the Right Muscles – A proper deadlift engages your hamstrings, glutes, and core efficiently.
You’ll Reduce the Risk of Injury – Good technique protects your spine, knees, and shoulders.
You’ll Get Stronger Faster – Proper form helps you lift more weight safely, leading to better progress.

Tips for Keeping Your Form in Check

Warm Up Properly: Get your muscles ready with mobility drills and light deadlifts.
Start Light and Build Up: Prioritize form over heavy weights.
Record Your Lifts: Watching your technique on video can help you spot mistakes.
Get Expert Feedback: A coach or experienced lifter can help you fine-tune your form.

By focusing on these fundamentals, you’ll not only lift more weight but also stay injury-free and make long-term progress in your strength training journey.

What you need to know…

If you’ve been deadlifting with bad form, don’t stress—it happens to the best of us. The important thing is recognizing the mistakes and making adjustments. Fixing issues like a rounded back, poor hip positioning, and weak core engagement can take your deadlift from frustrating to powerful. Keep practicing, strengthen the right muscles, and dial in your technique. Before you know it, you’ll be pulling heavier weights with confidence and staying injury-free. Now go grab that bar and lift with purpose!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What are the most common deadlift mistakes?

Some of the biggest deadlift mistakes include rounding your back, relying too much on your lower back instead of your legs, starting with your hips too high or too low, and forgetting to brace your core properly.

2. How do I know if my deadlift form is off?

If you feel lower back pain after deadlifting, struggle to lock out the weight, or feel like you’re being pulled forward, your form likely needs some work. Filming yourself or getting feedback from a coach can help pinpoint issues.

3. Should I use a lifting belt for deadlifts?

A lifting belt can give you extra core support, but it’s not a fix for bad form. You should first focus on mastering proper bracing and technique before relying on a belt.

4. How can I improve my deadlift strength?

Strengthen the key muscle groups involved—your glutes, hamstrings, and core. Adding accessory exercises like Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, and planks will help. Also, make sure you’re progressively overloading with proper technique.

5. What type of deadlift is best for beginners?

The conventional deadlift is the standard, but beginners might find the sumo deadlift or trap bar deadlift easier on the lower back while learning proper hip hinge mechanics.