Friday, January 29, 2021

Is Your Deadlift Weak Off The Floor?

 Is Your Deadlift Weak Off The Floor?

To increase your strength in the deadlift, you need to address weak points within the range of motion.  A weak point is a spot within the deadlift where you feel the barbell slowing down or a point in which you always fail under heavier loads. 

So what should you do if your deadlift is weak off the floor?  If you’re weak off the floor in the deadlift it means that your knee extensors (quads) are lacking strength.  As such, you should implement exercises that increase the loading demand on your quads, including low pause deadlifts, deficit deadlifts, and front squats. 

In addition to targeting the muscle group that is responsible for the specific deadlift weakness off the floor, you need to ensure you have proper technique and positioning to maximize your efficiency as you start the movement.  

We’ll cover the proper technique along with 7 tips to get a stronger deadlift off the floor. Let’s get started! 

Why Is Your Deadlift Weak Off The Floor? 

There are two main reasons why you are weak off the floor in the deadlift: (1) the muscles responsible for generating force off the floor are underdeveloped, or (2) you lack efficient technique in the start position of the deadlift. 

In order to implement solutions, you first need to understand the root of the problem.  Once you identify whether you have weak muscles, weak technique, or both, you can start correcting the elements of your lift that need the most work.  

Weak Muscles In The Deadlift 

In my article on What Muscles Are Used In The Deadlift, I discuss how different muscles contribute more or less at various stages of the movement.  In the bottom of the deadlift, the muscles that are activated the most are the quads.  

This is because the first move your body needs to make in the deadlift is to extend the knee (the hips and torso stay relatively static as you initiate the first pull off the floor).  Therefore, you need to look at what muscles are responsible for knee extension.  For the most part, this is going to be the role of the quads.  

Takeaway:  If you’re weak off the floor in the deadlift it may be due to having underdeveloped quad muscles.  

Weak Technique In The Deadlift 

There are several aspects of your deadlift technique that if you get wrong in your start position it will make it incredibly difficult to break the barbell from the floor.  

No matter how you’re built, whether you are tall or short, or have long arms or short arms, there are fundamental technique principles that every lifter needs to implement off the floor in order to be in the most optimal position possible to produce force.  

Let’s cover those technical principles now! 

Related Article:  Deadlifting With Shorts Arms: 4 Tricks For Bigger Pulls

Don’t Stand Too Wide 

f you stand too wide in the deadlift then two things will happen: 

First, it will make it incredibly difficult to activate your quad muscles because the loading demand shifts to your hips in order to deal with the extra external hip rotation that is now required.  

Second, you automatically increase the range of motion that the barbell needs to travel.  Not only will this enhance an already weak position of the floor, but it will also translate into a harder lockout position.  

For lifters who deadlift in a conventional stance, you should stand with your feet either directly underneath your shoulders or slightly inside shoulder-width.  

Takeaway: Don’t stand with your feet outside shoulder-width apart in the deadlift. 

Don’t Grip The Barbell Too Wide 

f you grip the barbell too wide then two things will happen: 

First, it will create a torso position that is more horizontal to the floor.  As such, your spinal erectors (low and mid-back) will need to work a lot harder than necessary off the floor.  

Second, just like standing too wide, a wide grip will also increase the range of motion that the barbell needs to travel.  

I go into more detail on how to properly grip the bar and the optimal spacing between your hands in my article on Deadlift Grip.  

Takeaway: Don’t have your hands outside of shoulder-width apart in the deadlift.   

Are Your Hips Too High? Or Too Low? 


If your hips are too high, then your back angle becomes parallel to the floor.  As a result, you’ll be placing a lot of loading demand on your hamstrings and low/mid back to lift the weight off the floor. 

If your hips are too low, then your back becomes too vertical and you end up ‘squatting’ the weight off the floor.  It places your quads under too much stress (likely more than they can handle) and your glutes and low/mid-back have a really hard time contributing to the movement.

You can read more about the optimal hip position and torso angle in my article on What Is The Best Deadlift Back Angle?  

Takeaway: Your hips should be in a position where if you draw a straight line down from your shoulders to the barbell that your shoulders are either directly in line with the barbell or just slightly in front.  

If your hips rise up in the bottom of the deadlift too fast then check out my complete guide.

Start With The Barbell On Your Shins

If the barbell is off of you when you initiate the first pull in the deadlift, then two things will happen: 

First, the barbell will pull your whole body forward, which will create instability and balance issues.  You’ll have to put some of your strength toward ‘not falling over’ versus simply driving the weight up in a vertical range of motion.  

Second, your lats will get yanked out of positionwhich will cause your upper and mid back to start rounding.  You can read more about this issue in my article on Rounded Back Deadlift.



1.  Practice Quad-Dominant Deadlift & Squat Variations 

Since the quads are the muscles responsible for producing force off the floor in the deadlift, you need to implement quad-dominant exercise variations. 

These are exercise where your knee travels through a greater range of motion compared to any other joint angle.  

You may want to read my articles on the best squat accessories and deadlift accessories.  

However, my top 3 exercises for building quad strength are: 

Deficit Deadlifts

Deficit deadlifts are when you stand on an elevated surface, typically 2-4 inches, in order to increase the range of motion that you need to pull the deadlift from the floor.  

This will place your knee at a greater angle in the start position, increasing the loading demand on the quad muscle. 


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1 comment:

  1. Great advice on improving deadlifts! If you're also looking to upgrade your home gym setup, consider palisade fencing for a robust and secure boundary. It's ideal for creating a dedicated and safe workout space.

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Is Your Deadlift Weak Off The Floor?

  Is Your Deadlift Weak Off The Floor? To increase your strength in the deadlift , you need to address weak points within the range of moti...