Barbell Deadlift from Blocks

GlutesBarbellIntermediate

The Barbell Deadlift from Blocks is an effective exercise for building strength in the posterior chain.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with the barbell positioned on blocks just below knee height.
  2. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the barbell with both hands, keeping your back straight.
  3. Engage your core and push through your heels to lift the barbell, extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
  4. Lower the barbell back to the blocks in a controlled manner, maintaining proper form throughout.

How to perform the Barbell Deadlift from Blocks

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Deadlift from Blocks using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your glutes.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your glutes rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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