- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternHinge
- Reps1 to 6 reps
- Joint loadLower back
Stand on a low, stable platform or plates with the bar over the middle of your feet. Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your knees.
First cueKeep your back flat at the lower start.
How to do the Deficit Deadlift
Set up. Stand on a low, stable platform or plates with the bar over the middle of your feet. Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your knees.
- Bring your shins to the bar, flatten your back and lift your chest.
- Push the floor away and stand up, keeping the bar close.
- Lower under control back to the floor.
Form cues
- Keep your back flat at the lower start.
- Keep the bar against your legs.
- Use less weight than your normal deadlift.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back to reach the lower bar.
- Using a platform that wobbles.
Take care. Start light: the deeper start makes holding a flat back harder.
Muscles worked
Main target: Upper back. The upper back is the muscle between and around the shoulder blades. It pulls the shoulder blades together and back, which is what every row trains and what holds a posture against a long day at a desk.
On the way: Quads, Glutes and Hamstrings.
Its other side: Chest, Front delts and Triceps, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Deficit Deadlift, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Barbell Bench Press Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Pull-Up Same pull session: it trains the lats.
- Face Pull Same pull session: it trains the rear delts.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Deficit Deadlift first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Deficit Deadlift 3 × 1 to 6 reps
- Barbell Bench Press 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Pull-Up 3 × 3 to 15 reps
- Face Pull 3 × 12 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Seated Cable Row
Cable
Less load on the lower back
Seated Cable Row
The Deficit Deadlift loads the lower back by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Deadlift.
Other variations of the Deadlift: Sumo Deadlift, Trap Bar Deadlift, Rack Pull, Snatch-Grip Deadlift and Kettlebell Deadlift.
Do before it: Deadlift (same movement, lighter), 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range), Cat-Cow (bracing) and Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Deficit Deadlift is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Deficit Deadlift?
Set up: Stand on a low, stable platform or plates with the bar over the middle of your feet. Hinge down and grip the bar just outside your knees. Steps: 1. Bring your shins to the bar, flatten your back and lift your chest. 2. Push the floor away and stand up, keeping the bar close. 3. Lower under control back to the floor. Form cues: Keep your back flat at the lower start. Keep the bar against your legs. Use less weight than your normal deadlift. Common mistakes: Rounding the back to reach the lower bar. Using a platform that wobbles. Take care: Start light: the deeper start makes holding a flat back harder.
What muscles does the Deficit Deadlift work?
It trains the upper back as its main target and works the quads, glutes and hamstrings on the way.
What can I do instead of the Deficit Deadlift?
At home: Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row. In a gym: Seated Cable Row. With less load on the lower back: Seated Cable Row. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Deficit Deadlift with?
Good partners in the same workout are Barbell Bench Press, Pull-Up and Face Pull.
How heavy should the Deficit Deadlift be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.