Deadlifts Aren’t the Problem—How You’re Doing Them Might Be

Let’s clear something up: deadlifts aren’t dangerous. Poorly performed deadlifts are. And no - you don’t need to be lifting 500kg off the floor for them to be relevant to you.

The deadlift is a foundational human movement pattern. It’s the same hinge you use to lift a laundry basket, move furniture, or pick up your grandchildren. It’s not just for athletes or powerlifters - it’s for everyone who wants to move well, stay strong, and avoid pain as they age.

Deadlifts come in many forms - trap bar, Romanian, kettlebell, block pulls - and they can be tailored to fit your body, your goals, and your ability. Saying “don’t deadlift” is like saying “don’t bend over.” That’s not the solution. The key is learning to hinge correctly, distribute force across the right muscles and joints, and build strength where it matters.

If you're avoiding deadlifts because you’ve been told they're risky, it’s time to ask: why? What’s actually being done to address your movement, your strength, and your long-term resilience?

The truth is, there’s often more risk in not training the deadlift. If we ignore proper hinging patterns, we increase the chances of back pain, mobility loss, and reduced balance as we age. For athletes, mastering this movement can be the difference between a long, high-performing career and a short-lived one.

It's not about lifting the most weight - it's about lifting smart. Training the deadlift, when done right, is training for life.

In our free clinical movement screening, we assess hinging capabilities to identify weaker areas and address them in the training intervention.

To find out more, feel free to contact us info@ironcladperformance.co.uk