5 Best Exercises to Improve Your Deadlift

The deadlift is one of the most effective exercises for building full-body strength. It works the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, core, and grip, making it a staple in strength training. But for many lifters, progress can stall due to weaknesses in certain parts of the movement—struggling to break the bar off the floor, failing to lock out at the top, or losing grip before finishing the lift.

If you want to pull heavier weights and improve your deadlift mechanics, you need to strengthen the muscles that contribute to the lift. That’s where targeted accessory work comes in. Below are five of the best exercises to help you build strength, improve technique, and boost your deadlift numbers.

1. Romanian Deadlifts

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is one of the best exercises for strengthening your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back—the key muscles used in the deadlift. Unlike a conventional deadlift, the RDL keeps constant tension on the posterior chain, helping to build muscle and improve control.

How It Helps Your Deadlift:

• Strengthens the hamstrings, glutes and low back for more power off the floor.
• Improves hip hinge mechanics, reinforcing proper deadlift technique.

How to Do It:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip.
2. Keep a slight bend in your knees and hinge at the hips to lower the bar down your legs.
3. Lower the bar until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, keeping your back straight.
4. Drive your hips forward and return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Pro Tips:

• Avoid rounding your back—keep your core engaged and spine neutral.
• Focus on a slow and controlled descent to maximize hamstring activation.
• Start with lighter weight and build up as you master the movement.

Incorporating Romanian deadlifts into your routine will help develop your posterior chain strength, leading to better deadlift performance over time.

2. Deficit Deadlifts

Deficit deadlifts are a great way to improve your strength off the floor—the most challenging part of the lift for many lifters. By standing on a small platform (1–2 inches), you increase the range of motion, forcing your legs and lower back to work harder to initiate the pull.

How It Helps Your Deadlift:

• Builds leg drive and strength off the floor.
• Reinforces proper hip and knee positioning at the start of the lift.
• Improves flexibility and control through an extended range of motion.

How to Do It:

1. Stand on a small platform or weight plate, positioning your feet as you would for a normal deadlift.
2. Grip the bar and set your back in a strong, neutral position.
3. Engage your legs and drive through the floor as you lift the bar.
4. Lock out at the top, then lower the bar back down with control.

Pro Tips:

• Keep your back straight—don’t let the increased range of motion cause rounding.
• Use a moderate weight to maintain good form.
• Focus on leg drive to develop more power from the bottom position.

Deficit deadlifts strengthen your starting position, making your conventional deadlift feel easier when you return to pulling from the floor.

3. Rack Pulls

Rack pulls are a partial deadlift variation that targets the upper portion of the lift, helping you develop a stronger lockout. By setting the bar on pins or safety bars at knee level (or slightly below), you can lift heavier weights than your regular deadlift, overloading the posterior chain and grip.

How It Helps Your Deadlift:

• Strengthens the lockout by targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and upper back.
• Builds confidence with heavier weights, improving overall pulling strength.
• Reinforces proper hip drive at the top of the lift.

How to Do It:

1. Set the bar on safety pins inside a power rack, typically at or just below knee height.
2. Stand with your normal deadlift stance and grip the bar.
3. Engage your lats and pull the bar up, driving your hips forward at the top.
4. Lower the bar back down with control to complete the rep.

Pro Tips:

• Avoid excessive leaning back—lock out by squeezing your glutes, not hyperextending your lower back.
• Keep your lats engaged to prevent the bar from drifting away from your body.
• Use straps if grip becomes a limiting factor, so you can focus on pulling heavy.

Rack pulls help develop explosive lockout strength, making it easier to finish heavy deadlifts with control and power.

4. Barbell Rows

A strong back is essential for a solid deadlift, and barbell rows are one of the best exercises to build upper and mid-back strength. A stronger back improves posture, stability, and control during the pull, helping prevent rounding and increasing overall pulling power.

How It Helps Your Deadlift:

• Strengthens the lats, traps, and rear delts for better bar control.
• Improves posture and prevents excessive rounding during heavy pulls.
• Enhances upper-body endurance, reducing fatigue during high-rep deadlift sets.

How to Do It:

1. Start with a hip-width stance and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width.
2. Hinge at the hips and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor.
3. Pull the bar toward your lower ribcage, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Lower the bar under control and repeat.

Pro Tips:

• Keep your back flat and avoid excessive swinging—use strict form.
• Focus on controlled reps instead of jerking the weight up.
• Try different grip variations (overhand, underhand) to target different parts of the back.

Barbell rows reinforce back strength and stability, helping you maintain a strong, upright posture throughout your deadlift.

5. Farmer’s Carries

Grip strength is a common limiting factor in deadlifting, and farmer’s carries are one of the simplest ways to build it. Walking with heavy weights in each hand improves both grip endurance and core stability—both crucial for handling heavy deadlifts.

How It Helps Your Deadlift:

• Strengthens grip, reducing the risk of dropping the bar on heavy lifts.
• Engages the core and improves total-body stability.
• Builds forearm and upper back strength.

How to Do It:

1. Pick up a pair of heavy dumbbells or kettlebells and stand tall.
2. Walk forward in a straight line with controlled, steady steps.
3. Keep your shoulders down and core engaged as you move.
4. Walk for a set distance or time before lowering the weights.

Pro Tips:

• Start with a moderate weight and gradually increase as your grip improves.
• Keep a neutral wrist position—don’t let the weights pull your hands out of alignment.
• Challenge yourself with heavier loads for short distances or lighter loads for longer carries.

By improving grip strength and core stability, farmer’s carries ensure that your hands and midsection don’t give out before your legs and back do.

Conclusion

A stronger deadlift isn’t just about pulling heavy weight—it’s about addressing weaknesses and reinforcing good technique. The five exercises above target key areas like hamstring and glute strength, lockout power, back stability, and grip endurance.

Incorporating these movements into your training routine will help you break through plateaus, improve your form, and ultimately lift heavier with better control. Stay consistent, focus on proper execution, and watch your deadlift numbers climb.

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