Legs · Barbell
Deficit Deadlift
How to do the deficit deadlift, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand on a small platform or plates to create a deficit. Grip the barbell on the ground with feet shoulder-width apart. Drive through your legs to lift the bar while keeping your back flat and core engaged. Lower the bar back down with control.
- 1Feel your hamstrings and glutes working harder due to the increased range of motion
- 2Engage your lats and core to maintain a neutral spine as you pull from the deficit
- 3Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes at lockout
Common mistakes
- Avoid rounding your back; keep your chest up
- Don't jerk the bar off the ground; maintain tension before lifting
- Avoid overextending at the top; stand tall without leaning back
Muscles worked
The deficit deadlift mainly works the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings, with the forearms, quads, upper traps, upper abs, and calves assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
Deficit Deadlift strength standards
See how your deficit deadlift ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM230 lb
Silvere1RM300 lb
Golde1RM380 lb
Platinume1RM457.5 lb
Diamonde1RM505 lb
Champione1RM540 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the deficit deadlift for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed April 2026.