Exercise · Form & cues

Conventional Deadlift — form guide

Posterior Chain (Hamstrings · Glutes · Erectors · Traps · Lats · Forearms). Equipment: Barbell. Difficulty: Advanced.

TEMPO

2-0-1-1

The deadlift is a push, not a pull. Push the floor away with your legs — the bar comes up as a side effect.

Sets & Reps

Programming defaults depend on your goal. Pick the row that matches yours:

Strength4–6 sets3–5 repsRPE 8–93–5 min

Hypertrophy3–5 sets8–12 repsRPE 7–990–120 s

Endurance2–4 sets15–25 repsRPE 6–845–60 s

Cues

Bar over mid-foot at start
Hips higher than knees, lower than shoulders
Lats engaged — 'protect armpits'
Push floor away, hips and chest rise together
Lock out by squeezing glutes — no hyperextension

Common mistakes

Hips shooting up first → squat-morning hybrid
Bar drifting away from shins
Rounded lower back under load
Hyperextending at lockout

Injury notes

If lower back is fragile, switch to trap bar deadlift or RDL.

Progression

Add 5kg when 5 clean reps hit. Slow progression after intermediate.

Indian gym reality

Barbell setups in tier-2 gyms often skip the safety pins and calibrated plates. Bring collars every session (₹200 online), and don't chase a max on a rack without pins — the ego-lift injury pipeline in India runs on that exact mistake.

If your gym doesn't have this equipment

Swap the barbell for a pair of dumbbells — same movement pattern, easier to unrack solo.

Home & hostel version

Pull-ups from a doorway bar (₹500 on Amazon) are the single best home back exercise. Add a resistance band assist if you can't hit 5 clean reps.

Nutrition & recovery around this lift

Compound lifts like this one cost the most recovery. Prioritise 7+ hours of sleep the night before, and don't stack it with another heavy compound in the same session. For an Indian lifter, land 30–40g of protein within 90 minutes of finishing — 200g paneer, 4 whole eggs, 150g chicken, or a whey shake all work.

Programs that feature Conventional Deadlift

Full workout plans where this lift sits in the main slot — pick the goal, split, and frequency that fits your life.

5-Day Upper/Lower — Muscle Gain

Legs 2× per week, hinge + squat

3-Day Full Body — Strength

Squat, deadlift, press every session

4-Day Upper/Lower — Fat Loss

Retain leg mass in a deficit

Eat to support this lift

Recovery and growth happen at the plate. A meal plan matched to the training goal:

2800 kcal Non-Veg — Muscle Gain

Fuel for heavy leg days

Frequently asked

What muscles does Conventional Deadlift work?

Primarily Posterior Chain (Hamstrings · Glutes · Erectors · Traps · Lats · Forearms). Load and rep range shift the emphasis — heavy triples bias the primary mover, sets of 12+ bring more of the secondaries in.

How many sets of Conventional Deadlift per week?

For hypertrophy, 10–20 direct working sets per week across all exercises for that muscle. This exercise usually contributes 3–8 of those sets, depending on where it sits in your program.

What if I'm training at home in India?

See the home & hostel version above. Bodyweight variants of every major pattern exist and progress for months if you're intentional about it.

How often should I do Conventional Deadlift?

Most intermediates do best with 2× per week frequency on any given lift — one heavier session and one lighter, or two matched sessions with different rep ranges. Beginners can add a third if recovery holds up.