Move · Videos · Technique · 8 min

How to Deadlift: The Five-Step Setup

How to Deadlift: The Five-Step Setup — video by Alan Thrall (Untamed Strength) Play · 8:02

Video by Alan Thrall (Untamed Strength) on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A strength coach teaches the Starting Strength five-step barbell deadlift setup so you start every rep in the same balanced position, whatever your build.

  • 8 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • barbell
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Step by step 8

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Step 1: stand with the bar over the middle of your foot, about an inch from your shins; don't move it again. 3:12
  2. Step 2: bend over and grip just outside your legs, knees unlocked but not yet bent. 3:38
  3. Step 3: bend your knees to bring your shins to the bar, without rolling the bar to you. 3:55
  4. Step 4: squeeze your chest up to flatten your back and straighten your arms, without dropping your hips. 4:10
  5. Step 5: drag the bar up your legs and finish standing tall, hips and knees locked, without leaning back. 4:39
  6. Why mid-foot: keeping the bar over the middle of the foot keeps you balanced and the bar path straight. 5:07
  7. Stance: narrow enough for your arms to hang straight down, toes turned out slightly. 6:00
  8. Body types: torso and leg length change your hip height and back angle, but the five steps stay the same. 6:34

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Stand with the bar over the middle of your foot and never move it during setup
  • Bring shins to the bar, then squeeze your chest up to flatten your back
  • Drag the bar up your legs and finish standing tall without leaning back

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Lower back takes loadflat back under a loaded barbell
  • Hips takes loadbarbell deadlift set-up and pull
  • Wrists & hands movesgripping the barbell
  • Upper back movessqueezing chest up, lats pulling bar in
  • Knees movesknees bend then extend to lock out

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Alan Thrall (Untamed Strength); the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety