Deficit Deadlift
Also known as: Deficit Barbell Deadlift, Deadlift from Deficit, Deficit Deadlifts, Barbell Deficit Deadlift, BB Deficit Deadlift
Body region
Muscles
Main
Helps
- Trapezius
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Rectus Femoris
- Vastus Lateralis
- Vastus Medialis
- Vastus Intermedius
- Adductor Magnus
Holds
Equipment
Technique
- Stand on a stable platform or plates one to four inches high with the bar over mid-foot.
- Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your legs; the start is lower than a normal deadlift.
- Set your back flat, chest up, and pull the slack out of the bar.
- Push the floor away and stand up, keeping the bar close to your legs.
- Lower the bar the same way and reset before each rep.
Cues
- Use a deficit only as deep as you can reach with a flat back.
- Keep the hips higher than the knees at the start.
- Use less weight than your regular deadlift.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back to reach the lower bar.
- Standing on an unstable or slippery surface.
- Letting the bar drift away from the shins.