5 Common Deadlift Mistakes That Are Hurting Your Back

The deadlift is arguably the most powerful exercise for building total-body strength, but it’s also the easiest to get wrong. A poor deadlift can lead to serious back pain, while a perfect one can transform your physique.

At our Shah Alam gym, our trainers see the same form errors time and time again. Here are the top 5 and how to fix them for a stronger, safer lift.

1. Rounding Your Lower Back Why it’s bad: This puts immense pressure directly on your spinal discs instead of your muscles, leading to potential bulges or herniation. The Fix: Before you lift, pull your shoulders back and down. Keep your chest up and think about showing the logo on your shirt to the wall in front of you. Squeeze your lats to lock your spine in a neutral position.

2. Jerking the Bar Off the Floor Why it’s bad: This uses momentum, not muscle, and can shock your system, leading to injury. It also means you lose tightness before the lift even begins. The Fix: Think of it as “pulling the slack out of the bar.” Create tension throughout your body—lats, hamstrings, glutes—before the bar leaves the floor. The movement should be a powerful, smooth push from your legs.

3. Letting Your Hips Rise Too Fast Why it’s bad: Your legs straighten out early, turning the lift into a dangerous stiff-legged deadlift that primarily strains your lower back. The Fix: Your hips and shoulders should rise at the same time. Focus on driving your feet through the floor as if you’re doing a leg press.

4. Keeping the Bar Too Far From Your Body Why it’s bad: The further the bar is from your center of gravity, the more leverage it has against you, putting massive strain on your lower back. The Fix: The bar should practically scrape your shins on the way up. Wear long socks or pants if you need to! Keep the bar as close to your body as possible throughout the entire lift.

5. Hyperextending at the Top Why it’s bad: Leaning back excessively at the top of the lift compresses your lumbar spine for no added benefit. The Fix: Finish the lift by standing up tall. Squeeze your glutes hard. Your body should form a straight line. There’s no need to lean back further.

Feeling unsure about your form? Grab one of our certified trainers for a quick check. A small correction can make a world of difference!