Deadlift Form: How to Pull with Good Technique
Good deadlift form means the bar starts over your mid-foot, your back stays flat from setup to lockout, and the bar travels straight up, brushing your legs the whole way. Formfix checks all of this from a single iPhone video or photo and returns a 0–100 score with the #1 thing to fix in under 15 seconds.
Conventional or sumo, the goal is identical: turn your body into a rigid lever and push the floor away. This page covers what a good pull looks like, the mistakes that stall progress, and how to film your set for analysis.
Download Formfix on the App StoreWhat good deadlift form looks like
Bar over mid-foot at setup
The bar starts directly over the middle of your foot, about an inch from your shins, so it can travel in a straight vertical line.
Flat, braced back
Your spine stays neutral from hips to head — no rounding in the lower back, no over-arching at lockout. A big belly breath locks it in before the pull.
Lats engaged, bar close
You 'bend the bar' to engage your lats, keeping the bar dragging along your shins and thighs instead of swinging out in front.
Hips and shoulders rise together
Off the floor, your hips and chest rise at the same rate. If hips shoot up first, the lift turns into a stiff-leg pull.
Push, don't pull
The deadlift is a leg press off the floor: drive your feet through the ground and let the bar hang from locked arms.
Full lockout without leaning back
Finish standing tall with hips through and glutes squeezed — not hyperextending your lower back at the top.
Most common mistakes and how to fix them
Rounding the lower back
Why it happens: Usually a setup problem: hips too low, slack not pulled out, or a load too heavy to brace against.
Fix it: Cue 'chest up, pull the slack out' before every rep — you should hear the bar click against the plates. Drop the weight and practice paused deadlifts just off the floor.
Hips shooting up first
Why it happens: Weak quads or a setup with hips too high turns the pull into a stiff-leg deadlift and dumps the work onto your back.
Fix it: Set your hips a touch lower and cue 'push the floor away.' Tempo deadlifts and deficit pulls at moderate weight rebuild the leg drive.
Bar drifting away from the body
Why it happens: Lats not engaged, or starting with the bar too far forward, lets the bar swing out and multiply the load on your back.
Fix it: Cue 'drag the bar up your legs' — it should brush your shins and thighs the whole way. Check your start position from a side-on video.
Jerking the bar off the floor
Why it happens: Yanking a slack bar creates a shock load and usually pulls you out of position before the bar even moves.
Fix it: Pull the slack out first: grip, drop your hips, take up the tension until the bar clicks, then pull smoothly.
Hitching at the knees
Why it happens: When the bar stalls at the knees, lifters re-bend and ramp it up the thighs — a sign the weight is above your current strength.
Fix it: Build the range with block pulls from just below the knee and keep training weights smooth. If you have to hitch, the rep was too heavy.
Over-arching at lockout
Why it happens: Leaning back at the top feels like a stronger finish but just shifts stress onto the lower back.
Fix it: Cue 'hips through, stand tall' and squeeze your glutes to finish. Think about getting tall, not leaning back.
How to film it for analysis
Camera angle
Side-on at hip height is essential — it's the only angle that clearly shows back position and bar path. A front 45-degree view helps check stance and knee position for sumo.
Distance
Stand 8–12 feet (2.5–3.5 m) away, far enough that the bar, your head, and your feet stay in frame through lockout.
Framing
Keep the phone still on a tripod or propped on a bench. Film 2–4 reps from the side; make sure plates aren't blocking the view of your feet.
FAQ
How do I keep my back flat when deadlifting?
Set up with the bar over mid-foot, take a big breath into your belly, and pull the slack out of the bar before you lift. If your back still rounds, the weight is likely too heavy — film a side-on set and Formfix will flag exactly where the rounding starts.
Should my hips be high or low in the deadlift?
Hips should be at the height where your shins touch the bar and your shoulders sit slightly in front of it — for most people that's higher than a squat. If your hips shoot up instantly when you pull, they started too low.
Is sumo or conventional deadlift better?
Neither is universally better — sumo suits longer legs and mobile hips, conventional suits longer arms and stronger backs. Try both for a few weeks and compare bar path and back position on video.
Why does the bar drift away from me?
Usually because the bar started too far in front of your mid-foot or your lats aren't engaged. Cue 'bend the bar' and drag it up your legs — it should stay in contact with your body from floor to lockout.
What's the best angle to film a deadlift?
Side-on at hip height, 8–12 feet away, with the phone still. That angle shows back position, hip height, and bar path — the three things that matter most.
Can an app check my deadlift form?
Yes — Formfix uses computer vision to track your spine, hips, and the bar through the pull. Upload a clip and you get a 0–100 score plus the #1 fix in under 15 seconds.
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