The deadlift primarily works the glutes and quads. The secondary muscles worked are the shoulders, lower and mid-back, hamstrings, and core.
Don't miss below as I show you how to alter your deadlift or use variations targeting the lower or upper range of motion to engage your chosen muscles more.
I've coached Team Canada Powerlifting for over 10 years, and I hope to share ways you can improve your deadlift.
Table of Contents
Deadlift: Muscles Worked
The conventional barbell deadlift is a compound exercise because it works for several lower and upper-body muscle groups. I also estimated the total work for each muscle across the entire lift.
Prime mover muscles worked in the deadlift are:
- Glutes: 40%
- Quadriceps: 15%
Stabilizer muscles worked in the deadlift are:
- Erectors (mid-back): 10%
- Hamstrings: 10%
- Adductor Magnus (inner thigh): 5%
- Latissimus Dorsi: 5%
- Trapezius: 5%
- Rhomboids (shoulders): 5%
- Abdominals & Obliques (core): 10%
“Strengthening the glutes, erectors, and hamstrings from deadlifts will have a positive carry-over to daily activities, especially as we age. Standing up from a chair, walking up stairs, and just sitting with good posture are things humans do every single day.”
Jake Woodruff, MS, a strength and conditioning coach
Glutes
The glutes or gluteus maximus play a crucial role in hip extension, especially during the deadlift lockout, to bring the hips closer to the barbell. Initially, the hips are behind the barbell; as the lifter stands up, the hips move forward, engaging the glutes prominently.
When the bar travels from the knees to the waist, the glutes account for about 80% of that movement. The main action responsible for this pull is hip extension, which is driven by the glutes.
Hip thrusts are also a glute-dependent exercise which helps improve deadlift ability. If your glutes get sore during the deadlift, check out my article.
Quadriceps
The quad muscles extend the knee in the bottom half of the range of motion. This is why some lifters use the cue to ‘push the floor away' to extend the knee and engage the quad muscles.
As you lift the bar off the floor, the quads account for about 70% of that movement. Once the bar reaches your knees and the knees are fully extended, your hips come into play more.
The sumo deadlift is a great deadlift variation to target your quads even more.
Erectors (Mid-Back)
The erectors or erector spinae, running along the spine, are essential in preventing spinal rounding. Maintaining a straight spine under load is vital, as any mid-back rounding can lead to increased stress on the spine.
The erectors also facilitate back extension, transitioning the spine from a horizontal to an upright position during the lift.
The erectors are a huge stabilizer during this lift. They prevent back extension, so although they are active throughout the motion, only about 5-10% of movement comes from them.
To learn about the most optimal back angle while deadlifting, read my full article.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings support the glutes in hip extension during the lockout. They are more engaged as the knees straighten, but the glutes remain the primary movers. The hamstrings also add stability to the knee joint, balancing the quad forces.
The hamstrings are active during the entire motion but account for about 30% of the work during a deadlift. They are only a secondary mover and assist the other main muscles to complete the lift.
A Romanian deadlift is the best way to target the hamstrings during training. Both deadlifts and RDLs are posterior chain exercises that emphasize a hinging mechanism.
If you find your hamstrings getting sore from deadlifting, check out my full article.
Adductor Magnus (Inner Thigh)
The adductor magnus muscle of the inner thigh contributes to hip extension, aiding the glutes to extend the hips during the lockout fully.
The adductors help with the top ½ of the lockout phase, so they only account for about 15% of a deadlift once the bar reaches mid-thigh.
Lats
The lats are critical for keeping the bar close to the body throughout the lift. Keeping the bar tight helps maintain balance and reduces the extra workload on hip extensors during the lockout.
The lats are engaged through the entire lift, but not much motion comes from this muscle group. Only about 5% of the deadlift comes via the lats.
Our other article, Do Deadlifts Work Lats, explains in more depth the benefits deadlifts have on lat development.
Traps
The traps support the shoulders, particularly the lower and mid traps along the scapula, ensuring a neutral shoulder position with a slight depression (pulling the shoulders down).
The traps are engaged through the entire lift, but not much motion comes from this muscle group. Only about 5% of the deadlift comes via the traps.
Check out this article on deadlifting for back development. Also, I wrote on Are Deadlifts Back Or Legs and what day you should consider putting them in your training.
Rhomboids
Located in the upper inner back and lower neck, the rhomboids maintain proper shoulder alignment. They work similarly to the traps to keep the shoulders upright and prevent rounding during the lockout.
Because the rhomboids help keep the upper body stable, they are engaged throughout the lift, but the motion of the lift is not dependent on them. They account for about 5% of a deadlift.
Abdominals & Obliques
The abs and obliques are your core muscles and stabilize the spine. While the erectors extend the spine, the abdominals, like rectus abdominis, and obliques, prevent hyperextension, ensuring the erectors stay engaged.
The abdominals only account for about 10% of a deadlift. They work hard to prevent hyperextension and provide stability but do not flex the torso forward during a deadlift.
Give this article a read to understand more on how deadlifting works your abs.
Identifying & Fixing Weak Muscles In The Deadlift
Struggling to Get the Weight Off the Floor
Quad Weakness
- Difficulty lifting weight off the ground due to inadequate knee extension.
- Signs include hips rising prematurely and a more horizontal torso as the body leverages glutes, hamstrings, and low/mid-back muscles.
- Cues: Focus on ‘pushing the floor away' with your legs to initiate lift.
This is the most common fault I see with beginner deadlifts who let their hips rise too quickly. For advanced lifters failing at this stage, we can do variations like deficit deadlifts to get comfortable lifting the weight off the floor on the first pull.
Erector Weakness
- Inability to maintain a straight spine; noticeable back rounding in the starting position.
- Cues: Keep lats contracted, shoulder blades squeezed back, and avoid spinal rounding.
Lat Weakness
- If you have trouble keeping the bar close to your body, your lats might be weak. This is evident when the bar drifts away from your body, especially in the bottom half of the deadlift.
This is something I have struggled with previously. I make sure I emphasize flexing my lats before every rep. If you watch me do some deadlift work, you will notice a very obvious lat tightening before I lift the bar off the ground.
Struggling to Lock the Weight Out
Glute & Adductor Magnus Weakness
- Difficulty bringing hips forward to the barbell at lockout.
- Indicated by failure to move hips horizontally towards the barbell once it reaches the knees.
- Cues: Drive your feet into the ground and focus on hip extension.
Erector Weakness
- Back rounds or fails to achieve an upright position in the lockout phase.
- Often caused by overuse in the starting position, leading to fatigue in the lockout.
- Cues: Pull the slack out of the bar before lifting and maintain a neutral spine.
Trap & Rhomboid Weakness
- Inability to pull shoulders back in the final stages of lockout.
- Visible upper back rounding or forward pull at the end of the lift.
- Cues: Focus on squeezing shoulder blades together and maintaining a strong upper back position.
To work the lockout phase of the deadlift specifically, you can use an exercise like the block deadlift.
Deadlift Variations: Muscles Worked
Understanding the muscles involved in various deadlift variations is crucial to target specific development areas and enhance overall strength.
Sumo Deadlift: Muscles Worked
- Sumo deadlift emphasizes leg muscles, particularly quads.
- Starts with hips closer to the barbell and more upright torso.
- Requires strong external hip rotator muscles, such as the glute medius.
- Cues: ‘Spread the floor apart' with feet to activate glute medius and ensure proper knee tracking.
You can read more about the differences between the conventional and sumo deadlift.
Romanian Deadlift: Muscles Worked
- Romanian deadlift targets the glute maximus and hamstrings extensively.
- Emphasizes hip extension over knee extension.
- Begins with barbell at lockout, focusing on hip hinge and minimal knee bending.
- Cues: Squeeze glutes at the top intensely.
If you're looking for an alternative to the Romanian deadlift, check out my article on the Best Romanian Deadlift Alternatives.
Stiff-Leg Deadlift: Muscles Worked
- Primarily targets hamstrings.
- Performed through full range to stretch hamstrings, with the bar coming off quads.
- Suitable for hamstring-focused training, considering knee position and range.
Trap Bar Deadlift: Muscles Worked
- Trap bar deadlift focuses more on quads compared to conventional deadlift.
- Utilizes a neutral grip and specialty bar, allowing more weight lifting.
- Less strain on the low back, more load on the knees.
- Good for quad strengthening and as an assistance movement for squats or deadlifts.
Deficit Deadlift: Muscles Worked
- Engages quads, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and glutes.
- It incorporates a greater end range for hip or knee extensors due to the deficit, increasing the loading demand on these muscles.
- Commonly performed with a 1-2 inch deficit to balance enhanced difficulty and biomechanical limits.
To learn more, check out how you can build muscle mass with powerlifting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are deadlifts for legs or back?
Deadlifts target both legs and back, engaging the posterior chain muscles including hamstrings, glutes, lower and upper back, making it a comprehensive compound exercise for strength development.
Are deadlifts better than squats?
Deadlifts and squats target different muscle groups and offer unique benefits; squats are better for overall leg development, including quads, while deadlifts focus more on the posterior chain. Both are essential for a balanced strength training program.
How deadlifts change your body?
Deadlifts transform your body by strengthening the posterior chain, enhancing core stability, improving grip strength, and boosting overall power. This leads to better posture, reduced injury risk, and increased muscle mass and fat loss, contributing to a more toned and athletic physique.
References
- Camara KD, Coburn JW, Dunnick DD, Brown LE, Galpin AJ, Costa PB. An Examination of Muscle Activation and Power Characteristics While Performing the Deadlift Exercise With Straight and Hexagonal Barbells. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2016 May;30(5):1183–8.
- ESCAMILLA RF, FRANCISCO AC, KAYES AV, SPEER KP, MOORMAN CT. An electromyographic analysis of sumo and conventional style deadlifts. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2002 Apr;34(4):682–8.
- McAllister MJ, Hammond KG, Schilling BK, Ferreria LC, Reed JP, Weiss LW. Muscle Activation During Various Hamstring Exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2014 Jun;28(6):1573–80.
- Schellenberg F, Taylor WR, Lorenzetti S. Towards evidence-based strength training: a comparison of muscle forces during deadlifts, good mornings, and split squats. BMC Sports Science, Medicine, and Rehabilitation. 2017 Jul 17;9(1).
- Swinton PA, Stewart A, Agouris I, Keogh JW, Lloyd R. A Biomechanical Analysis of Straight and Hexagonal Barbell Deadlifts Using Submaximal Loads. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2011 Jul;25(7):2000–9.
About The Author
Avi Silverberg holds a Master of Science in Exercise Science with a research focus on powerlifting training. He's been the Head Coach for Team Canada Powerlifting since 2012 and has coached over 4500 attempts in international competition. You can connect with him on Instagram or LinkedIn.
