8 Science-Backed Benefits of Dead Lifts

You might think dead lifts are for professional weightlifters and bodybuilders. But the dead lift is a weighted exercise that anyone with full mobility can master. Its benefits include building muscle and boosting athletic performance. The key is to learn proper form to get the most out of this foundational strength-training exercise.

What are the benefits of dead lifts?

There are many proven benefits of dead lifts. That’s why many personal trainers recommend them for strength training. The following advantages might make you want to learn the advanced exercise.

1. Dead lifts activate total-body muscles

A dead lift challenges you to hinge or bend at the hips and pick up a weight, usually a barbell. You primarily use your hip extensors and leg muscles for this movement. It’s particularly effective for targeting posterior chain muscles in the back of your body. But a dead lift is a compound, full-body exercise that activates several muscle groups, including the:

• Glutes

• Hamstrings (back of the thigh)

• Quadriceps (front of the thigh)

• Latissimus dorsi, trapezius, and erector spinae muscles in the back

• Core, including the abdominals

• Calves

So if your goal is to increase total-body strength, dead lifts can help you get there.

2. Dead lifts build muscle

Studies suggest that muscle mass is a predictor of health and longevity. The link isn’t causal. So having bigger, stronger muscles doesn’t guarantee a longer life. But more muscle mass and strength are associated with lower mortality of all causes.

Strength training with compound exercises like dead lifts is one of the best ways to build muscle. The weighted exercise is also a great way to increase muscle strength, power, and endurance. Muscular endurance allows you to contract your muscles against a weight for extended periods. It’s critical for finishing your exercise reps and sets and reaching your fitness goals.

3. Dead lifts increase bone density

Dead lifts strengthen your bones too. The weight-bearing exercise increases the load on your bones. By doing so, it can increase bone mineral density, especially in the hip and lower back. Adding them to your strength-training routine could slow age-related bone loss that increases the risk of osteoporosis.

4. Dead lifts can speed up metabolism

Metabolism is how your body turns calories from food into energy. Lean muscle mass is one of many factors that affect your metabolism. It takes more calories for your body to build and maintain muscle than fat. Resistance exercises, including dead lifts, may boost your metabolism by helping you burn calories and build muscle.

5. Dead lifts increase functional strength

Functional strength is the ability to perform everyday movements –– like climbing stairs or bending down to pick something up –– with ease. A dead lift is one of many functional strength-training exercises that can improve mobility for everyday tasks. It can improve grip strength, hip flexibility and mobility, and core stability.

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6. Dead lifts boost athletic performance

You know that dead lifts can improve several components of physical fitness, including muscle strength and endurance. Those improvements might translate to better athletic performance. For example, studies show that dead lift training may improve jump height. That can help with agility and speed, whether you’re an athlete or a weekend warrior.

7. Dead lifts may reduce lower back pain

Like many strength-training exercises, a dead lift can contribute to lower back pain when done improperly. Done correctly, it may reduce lower back pain.

People with lower back pain tend to have weak back extensor muscles. Dead lifts and other posterior chain exercises work these muscles. They’ve been shown to build strength, decrease pain, and improve function in people with chronic lower back pain.

8. Dead lifts provide versatile exercise

There’s more than one way to do a dead lift. For example, beginners can start with body-weight dead lifts to learn proper form before adding weight. You can use a barbell, a kettlebell, or a pair of dumbbells to add weight. Experienced lifters can try modifications to increase the challenge.

How to do a dead lift properly

Proper form is crucial to doing a traditional dead lift safely and effectively. You’ll need some kind of weight for this exercise — a kettlebell, free weights, or a barbell with plates.

• Step 1: Stand behind the weight with your back straight, feet shoulder width apart, and toes pointing straight or slightly out to the sides. Bend your knees slightly, and pull your shoulders back and down.

• Step 2: Engage your core. Sit your hips back, and bend at the waist to lower toward the weight.

• Step 3: Grip the barbell and/or weight, holding it in each hand just outside the knees. Keep the weight as close to your body as you can without hitting your shins or knees.

• Step 4: Push through your feet as you lift the weight to your thighs. Keep your shoulders back and your spine neutral as you hold it. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.

• Step 5: Hinge at the hips to lower the weight back to the floor, and return to standing.

Keep these tips in mind to avoid common mistakes while doing dead lifts.

• Practice dead lifts without weights in front of a mirror. That way, you can focus on your form before adding weight.

• Keep your back neutral, and avoid rounding or raising your shoulders.

• Push through your feet, and lift from the legs rather than your arms or back. You want the lift to be one seamless motion.

• Start with lighter weight. Decrease your weight if you are off-balance or struggle to stand back up.

Dead lift modifications

Dead lift variations can help you adjust the exercise intensity or target different muscle groups. Beginners should practice body-weight dead lifts before adding free weights.

Romanian dead lift

With Romanian dead lifts, start by holding a weight in front of your hips instead of lifting it from the floor. Then hinge forward, and lower the weight toward the floor before standing up. This variation may work posterior chain muscles, such as the glutes and hamstrings, more than traditional dead lifts.

Sumo dead lift

To do a sumo dead lift, stand behind a barbell with a wide stance. Your feet should be more than shoulder width apart, and your toes should point to the sides. This starting position targets groin and inner thigh muscles.

Single-leg dead lift

Single-leg dead lifts challenge you to extend one leg behind and keep your back straight as you lower down. You can practice this exercise with or without weights. It’s a good way to strengthen posterior chain muscles and work on your balance.

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Written by:

Ray Bass, NASM-CPT

Ray Bass is an author, editor, and National Academy of Sports Medicine-certified personal trainer. She holds an honors degree in creative writing from the University of Pennsylvania, and she is pursuing her MFA at The New School.

Edited by:

Lauren Savage, MA

Lauren Savage, MA, is a health editor at GoodRx, where she focuses on movement, exercise, and healthy aging. She aims to provide readers with the information they need to live healthier, more active lifestyles.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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