Exercise guide
Barbell Mixed Grip Deadlift
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
- Waist
The mixed grip deadlift is a powerful compound hinge that allows for heavier loads by preventing the barbell from rolling, primarily targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Secondary
Equipment
Setup
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell positioned over the middle of your feet.
- Hinge at the hips and grip the bar just outside your shins using a mixed grip: one palm facing you (overhand) and one palm facing away (underhand).
- Lower your hips until your shins touch the bar, keeping your chest up and back flat.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down to 'set' your lats and create tension throughout your torso.
How to do it
- Take a deep diaphragmatic breath and brace your core as if preparing for a punch.
- Drive through the floor with your legs, keeping the bar in constant contact with your shins and thighs as you stand up.
- Exhale forcefully as you reach full hip extension, squeezing your glutes at the top without hyperextending your lower back.
- Hinge at the hips to lower the bar under control, maintaining a flat back until the plates touch the floor.
Form checklist
- Keep the bar close to your center of gravity at all times.
- Maintain a neutral spine from your neck to your tailbone; do not round the lower back.
- Keep your arms completely straight; never attempt to bend the elbow of the underhand arm.
- Ensure your weight is distributed through the mid-foot and heels, not the toes.
Pro tips
- Switch which hand is underhand between sets to prevent developing muscular imbalances in the traps and biceps.
- Pull the 'slack' out of the bar by applying upward tension until you hear the bar click against the plates before you start the actual lift.
- Think about 'pushing the floor away' with your feet rather than pulling the bar up with your back.
Make it harder
- Perform 2-second pauses just below the knee during the ascent to increase time under tension.
- Stand on a 1-2 inch platform (deficit deadlift) to increase the range of motion and demand on the hamstrings.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the barbell mixed grip deadlift work?
- The barbell mixed grip 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 barbell mixed grip deadlift?
- The barbell mixed grip deadlift uses barbell and weight plate.
- Is the barbell mixed grip deadlift good for beginners?
- The barbell mixed grip deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- Band DeadliftBeginner · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Hang Clean Below The KneesAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Snatch From BlocksAdvanced · adductors, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lats, quadriceps, serratus anterior, and trapezius
- Dumbbell DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius