Many new lifters fear the deadlift, but this important lift is one of the best for building total-body strength, size, and athleticism. Banish your fear and learn how to deadlift right here!

I consider the barbell deadlift one of the best damned exercises around, period. Whether you want to build muscle, burn fat, increase athleticism, or focus purely on gaining strength, I'd say it's the one movement every lifter must do.

The trouble is, many folks new to the iron don't know how to approach this beneficial barbell lift and use it effectively. Well, consider your trouble solved! After you read this beginner's deadlift how-to guide and spend some time at the bar, you'll be deadlifting like a pro before you know it.

WHY DEADLIFT?

It's always important to start with why. Why? Because having a good reason for doing something makes planning easier.

So, why deadlift? Quite simply, the deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for developing the pure strength that's a precursor to bodily size and athleticism. Since it's a full-body exercise that recruits a lot of muscle mass, the deadlift also builds total-body muscle.1 It's also one of the few exercises that directly targets the hamstrings, a group of muscles often neglected in the weight room.2

The deadlift also improves posture. We live most of our lives in front of our bodies, ignoring our rears. In turn, we develop bodily frames without balance, leading to a host of postural issues—hunched shoulders and weak backs, for example. Deadlifting reintroduces us to our body's backside. Posterior training balances the body, giving us cause to stand taller and with greater strength.

In short, deadlifting will support your aesthetic goals, help you build better posture, correct various strength imbalances, help you build total strength, and turn you into a total gym badass. After all, there's nothing quite like ripping heavy weight from the ground.

Now, you're probably eager to practice deadlifting in the gym, but hang on a moment. I often work with lifters who want to rocket headfirst into a movement, when in reality it's important to pump the breaks and master the basics first.

START WITH THE HIP HINGE

The conventional deadlift is a heavily loaded iteration of the hip hinge, which is a basic human movement pattern. The hip hinge is exactly what it sounds like: hinging at the hips. It's not sitting down, but more like sitting back. The movement comes from your hips, not your knees. It's like a horizontal thrust; your butt goes back as you sit back, and then you fire it forward as you stand up.