The Deadlift has become a controversial exercise, with many people complaining that it causes lower back discomfort.

However, the Deadlift itself isn’t the problem—it’s how it’s performed. When executed incorrectly, it can place unnecessary strain on the lower back.

One of the biggest mistakes in deadlifting is extending the knees before the hips. While poor coaching can play a role, this issue is often due to a forward center of gravity, which prevents proper hip extension.

When the pelvis tilts forward excessively, the body compensates with knee hyperextension and an over-arched lower back. This faulty movement pattern can lead to discomfort and inefficiency in the lift.

For effective deadlifting, instead we want the hip to extend before the knees, keeping the knees slightly bent through the movement. This will not only keep the tension off the lower back, it will effectively load the glutes for better strength and muscle development.

We can use exercises like the Sliding Single Leg Hinge and the Kickstand Deadlift to train better biomechanics of the hinge for better movement and more resilience.

Learn how in today's video!