Lever Belt Deadlift with V-Bar

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand on the machine platform with a shoulder-width stance, centering your mid-foot under the lever's pivot point.
2. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees until you can firmly grasp the V-bar handle with a neutral grip (palms facing each other).
3. Flatten your back, pull your shoulder blades down into your back pockets, and lift your chest to create full-body tension.

How to do it

1. Inhale deeply and brace your core, then drive through your heels to extend your hips and knees simultaneously to stand up.
2. Exhale as you reach a full upright position, squeezing your glutes hard at the top without hyperextending your lower back.
3. Lower the weight under control by pushing your hips back and maintaining a flat spine until the plates nearly touch the floor.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-0-1-0 tempo, focusing on a slow descent and an explosive ascent.

Form checklist

• Keep your shins relatively vertical to maximize hamstring and glute tension.
• Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not cave inward.
• Maintain a 'proud chest' throughout the lift to prevent the upper back from rounding.
• Keep the weight distributed across the mid-foot and heel, never shifting to the toes.
• Maintain a neutral neck by looking at a spot on the floor 5-10 feet in front of you.

Pro tips

• Imagine 'pushing the floor away' rather than pulling the handle to better engage the quadriceps and glutes.
• At the top of the movement, focus on a hard glute contraction to ensure full hip extension.
• Keep your lats 'packed' by imagining you are squeezing oranges in your armpits to stabilize the spine.

Make it harder

• Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of the rep (dead stop) to eliminate momentum.
• Slow the eccentric (lowering) phase to 4 seconds to increase time under tension and muscle fiber recruitment.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the lever belt deadlift with v-bar work?

The lever belt deadlift with v-bar primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the lever belt deadlift with v-bar?

The lever belt deadlift with v-bar uses leverage machine.

Is the lever belt deadlift with v-bar good for beginners?

The lever belt deadlift with v-bar is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

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• Barbell Paused Sumo DeadliftAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Dumbbell Single Arm DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Side Kick BurpeeIntermediate · calves, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps