In Defense of the Deadlift

'“The Iron never lies to you. You can walk outside and listen to all kinds of talk, get told that you’re a god or a total bastard. The Iron will always kick you the real deal. The Iron is the great reference point, the all-knowing perspective giver. Always there like a beacon in the pitch black. I have found the Iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me, never runs. Friends may come and go. But two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds.” -Henry Rollins

Dogs are the only thing more awesome than deadlifts.

I need to preface this by saying that I love the deadlift. I am extremely biased when it comes to this lift. If everyone on the planet started deadlifting, I firmly believe we’d achieve world peace. After all, if someone loves to deadlift, what differences in opinion can’t be overcome? I may be plant-based, but I’ll hang out with a meat eater who deadlifts over a vegan who doesn’t any day of the week. All kidding aside, the deadlift is often unfairly criticized, and we need to remedy this immediately.

Maybe my bias stems from my short-lived powerlifting career. I developed a solid squat because we trained using the Westside Barbell/Conjugate Method, which emphasizes the squat. If your goal is to hit a personal record three-lift total at your next meet, starting strong with a big squat makes achieving that goal much easier. And if you didn’t have a big squat? Well, that was the first step toward disgracing yourself, letting down your powerlifting team, and becoming a bench press specialist.

The bench press? That was just a chance to lie down and decompress your spine between squat and deadlift flights.

Finally, after three attempts at the squat and bench press, it was time for the deadlift—because the meet didn’t really start until the bar hit the floor. The energy during the deadlift was always electrifying. It often determined the difference between gold and silver, walking away with a meet PR or going home with a new training plan. At the very least, if your squat and bench didn’t show up that day, you still had a shot at a deadlift PR. The raw power of the lift was addictive—just dip, grip, and rip.

Unfortunately, pushing the deadlift to the limits of a competitive lifter increases the likelihood of back injuries and long-term pain. Maxing out to the point of form breaking down and using improper technique is the main reason so many people dismiss the deadlift before giving it a fair chance.

When done properly, the deadlift builds one of the most fundamental movement patterns: bending over to pick something up. It strengthens virtually every muscle in the body, including the upper back, core, grip, and the entire posterior chain. It’s a movement most people perform daily. Yet critics still claim it should be avoided at all costs. Strongman Robert Oberst even led a campaign against the deadlift, calling it a terrible choice for athletes and claiming it would likely lead to back injuries. Instead, he suggested the power clean. Sure, don’t pick up a weight from the floor in a controlled movement; instead, explosively “jump” with it and catch it at your chest. Makes total sense.

Even Dr. Stuart McGill, a leading expert in spine health, criticized the deadlift in a podcast with Peter Attia, saying that if you want to guarantee a new set of hips, deadlift. He later clarified his statement, explaining he wasn’t against the deadlift as a movement pattern but against constantly maxing out. That clarification is key.

When training for strength and health, we need to approach exercises differently than competitive lifters. Constantly chasing PRs and pushing for performance improvements increases joint wear and tear, moving us further from the health side of the performance-versus-health continuum.

How do we train the deadlift in a way that minimizes risk while maximizing benefits? Simple: redefine what a personal record is. Instead of maxing out regularly, focus on submaximal efforts in your deadlift training. For example, perform a set of five repetitions while leaving a couple of reps in the tank. The next time you train, either add 5 pounds to that set or perform one more rep with the same weight. Congratulations—you’re stronger. It’s that simple.

This is one reason I’ve always admired the single progression method favored by Bronze Era legend George Hackenschmidt. Hack recommended starting with a weight you could lift ten times but only performing five reps. The following week, you’d add a rep with the same weight. Once you hit ten reps, you’d add a small amount of weight—just 5 pounds—and start over at five reps.

Progressing this way allows for sustained, long-term improvement. By starting light and repeating the same weight over six weeks, you allow muscles and connective tissues to adapt. Progress comes from gradually adding reps each week and increasing weight after each cycle. This method emphasizes excellent form and nearly continuous progress.

I’m not against training hard, but we must train smart too. Former powerlifter Jim Wendler, creator of the popular 5/3/1 training method, often emphasizes the importance of making every rep look awesome. Instead of always chasing more weight or reps, focus on making each rep faster and cleaner than the last. Once you dominate the movement, then add weight. Strength training is a marathon, not a sprint.

Yes, the deadlift could lead to injury if performed with poor technique or inappropriate load selection, but so could any exercise. Perform the deadlift correctly, choose a weight you can lift with excellent form, and progress intelligently over time. You’ll unlock all the incredible benefits of this lift while minimizing your risk of injury.

I hope you enjoyed this week’s article. Until next time, stay strong and healthy!