Exercise guide
Axle Deadlift
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
The Axle Deadlift utilizes a thick, non-rotating bar to drastically increase grip demand while building massive posterior chain strength and trapezius development. It is a premier movement for developing functional pulling power and forearm hypertrophy due to the increased diameter of the bar.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, with the axle bar positioned over the middle of your feet.
- Hinge at the hips and grip the bar with a double overhand grip (standard for axle training) or a mixed grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Drop your hips until your shins are close to the bar, keeping your chest up and spine neutral.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to engage your lats and create tension throughout your upper body.
How to do it
- Take a deep breath into your abdomen and brace your core forcefully.
- Drive your feet through the floor to initiate the lift, keeping the bar in a vertical path close to your shins.
- Exhale as you reach full hip extension, standing tall with your glutes squeezed at the top.
- Lower the bar under control by hinging at the hips first, then bending the knees once the bar passes them to return to the floor.
Form checklist
- Keep the thick bar in contact with or very close to your legs throughout the entire movement.
- Maintain a flat back and neutral neck; avoid rounding the lumbar spine or looking up too high.
- Ensure your arms remain straight like cables; do not attempt to bend the elbows or 'bicep curl' the weight.
- Keep your weight distributed through the mid-foot to maintain balance and power.
Pro tips
- Squeeze the axle as hard as possible before the bar leaves the floor to 'pre-activate' your forearms and stabilize the wrists.
- Focus on 'pushing the floor away' rather than 'pulling the bar up' to better engage the glutes and quadriceps.
- Avoid using lifting straps for as long as possible to maximize the specific grip-strengthening benefits of the axle bar.
Make it harder
- Perform the lift from a 2-inch deficit (standing on a small platform) to increase the range of motion and initial pull difficulty.
- Incorporate a 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension for the hamstrings and forearms.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the axle deadlift work?
- The axle deadlift primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the axle deadlift?
- The axle deadlift uses barbell.
- Is the axle deadlift good for beginners?
- The axle deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- Barbell Clean PullAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Deadlift 360 DegreesIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Deadlift Against ChainsAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius