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Exercises

Deadlift alternatives: hinges for every gym, home setup and lower back

Published October 23, 2026

The best deadlift alternative is the trap bar deadlift: you stand inside the weight, so your torso stays more upright and your lower back takes less of the load, while your glutes, hamstrings and quads still lift heavy. With only a barbell, Romanian deadlifts and rack pulls keep the hinge with a shorter or controlled range; with dumbbells, do dumbbell Romanian deadlifts and single-leg RDLs. At home with a band, band deadlifts and pull-throughs keep the same hip hinge, as long as you take sets close to failure.

What a barbell deadlift alternative has to replace

The deadlift trains your glutes, hamstrings and lower back together, with your quads driving the bar off the floor, your upper back holding your spine in place, and your grip holding it all. It is hardest at the bottom, where the bar breaks from the floor with your hips folded and your back working hardest to stay flat. A replacement has to keep that hip hinge under real load.

How to do the barbell deadlift

Barbell and trap bar

If you have bars but want a different pull: the trap bar for your back, the RDL for hamstrings, the rack pull for the top half.

Closest swap, easier on your back

Trap Bar Deadlift

Quads, Glutes

You stand inside the bar with the handles at your sides, so the weight sits in line with your body instead of in front of it. That keeps you more upright and shares the work with your quads, so you can still pull heavy.

How to do it

  1. Load the bar, step into the middle of the frame and line the handles up with the middle of your feet, feet about hip-width.
  2. Sit your hips back and bend your knees until you can grab the center of each handle, so the bar stays level when it lifts.
  3. Pull your shoulders down, take a big breath into your belly and brace before the bar leaves the floor.
  4. Drive your feet into the floor so your hips and knees straighten together, keeping your arms long and your chest up.
  5. Finish standing tall with your glutes tight, then reverse the path: hips back first, knees bend, and set the bar down under control.

Cues

  • Push the floor away
  • Hold the handles in the middle
  • Chest and hips rise together

Common mistakes

  • Gripping the handles off-center: the bar tips forward or back and drags you with it; hold the middle of each handle.
  • Turning it into a squat with the hips dropped too low: set your hips just high enough that your arms hang straight and your shins stay fairly vertical.
  • Leaning back at lockout: stop when you are standing straight with your glutes squeezed; there is nothing to gain past that.
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Barbell swap for hamstrings and glutes

Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

You start standing and lower the bar only as far as your hamstrings allow, so there is no pull from the floor. It loads your hamstrings and glutes in a long stretch, with less weight than a deadlift.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip width and the bar over your midfoot, squat down to grip it overhand just outside your thighs, and stand up with it.
  2. Stand tall with the bar against your thighs, unlock your knees slightly and keep that bend fixed for the whole set.
  3. Push your hips straight back and let the bar slide down your thighs, chest coming forward as your hips go back.
  4. Stop when your hips stop moving backward and you feel a hard stretch in your hamstrings, usually somewhere between your knees and mid-shin.
  5. Push your feet into the floor and drive your hips forward until you stand tall, without leaning back at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back, not chest down
  • Bar stays on your legs
  • Knees soft and still

Common mistakes

  • Chasing the floor: if your back rounds to reach lower, your hamstrings have already run out. End the rep where your hips stop going back.
  • Squatting the weight down: if your knees keep bending as you lower, the stretch leaves your hamstrings. Lock in the knee angle at the top and only move at the hips.
  • Letting the bar drift forward: a bar a few inches off your legs pulls on your lower back. Drag it down your thighs, and use straps if your grip is what makes it swing.
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Barbell swap, wide stance

Sumo Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads

A wide stance with your hands inside your knees lets you stay more upright and brings in your inner thighs and quads. Pick it if your hips and back feel better pulling this way.

How to do it

  1. Stand at the bar with your feet set well wider than your shoulders, toes angled out about 30 to 45 degrees, bar above your midfoot.
  2. Bend your knees and push them out until they sit over your toes, then reach straight down and grip the bar about shoulder width apart, hands inside your legs.
  3. Lift your chest, pull your shoulders back and down, and tug the bar up until it clicks against the plates without leaving the floor.
  4. Push your feet down and out into the floor and stand up, keeping the bar touching your legs and your knees pressed out.
  5. Finish tall with your hips through and your glutes squeezed, then lower the bar to the floor along your legs, hips moving back first.

Cues

  • Spread the floor with your feet
  • Knees stay over your toes
  • Chest and hips rise together

Common mistakes

  • Hips rising before the bar moves: if your chest drops as the bar breaks the floor, the pull becomes a stiff-leg lift. Set your hips a little lower and hold your chest up until the bar clears your knees.
  • Knees caving in: once your knees drift inward your hips move away from the bar. Keep pushing them out over your toes the whole rep, and narrow your stance if you cannot.
  • Going wider than you can hold: a stance so wide your shins tilt inward makes the start harder, not easier. Set your feet where your shins stay close to vertical from the side.
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Barbell swap, short range

Rack Pull

Glutes, Lower Back, Traps

The bar starts on pins near your knees, so you skip the hardest part off the floor and train the top half heavy. It is lighter on your legs and harder on your upper back and grip.

How to do it

  1. Set the bar on rack pins or blocks just below your knees.
  2. Stand close with your feet under your hips and grip the bar overhand just outside your thighs.
  3. Hinge until your back is flat and your shoulders are slightly in front of the bar.
  4. Drive your hips forward and stand up, pulling your shoulders back at the top, then lower the bar to the pins under control.

Cues

  • Shoulders ahead of the bar
  • Finish tall, shoulders back
  • Set it down, do not drop it

Common mistakes

  • Turning the top of each rep into a lean back: stand straight and let your traps hold the weight.
  • Loading so heavy the bar bends off the pins every rep: keep it to weights you can pull smoothly for the full set.
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Hinge with a bar in a corner

Landmine RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

One end of the bar sits in a landmine, so it moves in an arc that keeps the weight close to you. A forgiving way to learn or load the hinge if a full barbell RDL feels awkward.

How to do it

  1. Load one end of a bar in a landmine, stand facing the anchor and hold the loaded end in front of your hips with both hands.
  2. Soften your knees and pull your shoulders back.
  3. Push your hips back and let the sleeve slide down along your legs.
  4. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched and your back is still flat.
  5. Squeeze your glutes to stand and bring your hips through.

Cues

  • Hips back, shins still
  • Bar close to your legs
  • Flat back, long neck

Common mistakes

  • Bending your knees more as you go down: that turns it into a squat. Keep the knee angle you started with.
  • Rounding to reach lower: your range ends where your back would round.
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Cables, benches and back-friendly picks

For days your lower back needs a break, or a gym without platforms: these keep the hips working with less load on your spine.

Cable swap, no load on your back

Cable Pull-Through

Glutes, Hamstrings

The weight pulls from behind you, so your lower back does far less while your glutes and hamstrings drive your hips forward. Use it for higher reps or on days your back is tired.

How to do it

  1. Set a rope on the lowest pulley, face away from the stack, and reach between your legs to grab both ends.
  2. Walk forward two or three steps so the weight lifts off the stack, and set your feet a bit wider than your hips.
  3. With a soft bend in your knees, push your hips back toward the machine and let the rope travel back through your legs while your back stays flat.
  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually with your torso close to 45 degrees.
  5. Drive your hips forward until you stand straight, squeezing your glutes, with your arms staying long the whole time.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Arms are just hooks
  • Stand tall, do not lean back

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the weight: if your knees bend a lot and your hips drop, you are using your quads. Keep the shins nearly vertical and reach back with your hips.
  • Pulling with your arms: the rope should rise only because your hips extend. Keep your elbows straight.
  • Leaning back at the top: finish standing straight with your ribs down; arching past vertical shifts the effort to your lower back.
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Back and glutes on a bench

45-Degree Back Extension

Glutes, Hamstrings

With your legs locked in, you hinge down and back up on a 45-degree bench. It trains the same back, glute and hamstring muscles as the deadlift with only your bodyweight, plus a plate if you need it.

How to do it

  1. Set the pad so it sits just below your hip bones, then hook your heels under the foot rollers.
  2. Fold your arms over your chest and stand straight in line with the bench.
  3. Bend forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Lift your torso back to a straight line with your legs, squeezing your glutes, and stop there.

Cues

  • Hinge at the hips
  • Stop at a straight line
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top

Common mistakes

  • Arching back past a straight line at the top: the rep ends when your body is straight.
  • Setting the pad too high so it blocks your hips: you should be able to fold freely over it.
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Heavy glute work, back supported

Hip Thrust

Glutes

Your upper back rests on a bench and the bar sits on your hips, so you can load your glutes heavy without the deadlift's strain on your lower back. Pair it with a hinge to cover your hamstrings.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the floor with the edge of a flat bench just under your shoulder blades, and roll a padded barbell into the crease of your hips.
  2. Plant your feet about hip width, a foot or so in front of you, so your shins will be vertical when your hips are up.
  3. Hold the bar with both hands, tuck your chin slightly and brace as if someone is about to poke your stomach.
  4. Push the floor away through your whole foot and lift your hips until your thighs and torso are level, pivoting on the bench.
  5. Hold the top for one second with your glutes squeezed and ribs down, then lower until the plates almost touch the floor.

Cues

  • Ribs down, chin tucked
  • Shins vertical at the top
  • Squeeze for one second, then lower

Common mistakes

  • Arching your lower back to get the hips higher: stop when your thighs are level with your torso and keep your ribs pulled down.
  • Feet too close or too far: if you feel it mostly in your quads move your feet out, if mostly in your hamstrings move them in, until your shins are vertical at lockout.
  • Bouncing out of the bottom with half reps: let the plates nearly touch the floor and start each rep from there.
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Dumbbells and kettlebells

Lighter than a barbell, so go slow on the way down, use one leg once they feel easy, and take sets close to failure.

Best dumbbell swap

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

The Romanian deadlift with a dumbbell in each hand, which most gyms and many homes have. Lighter than a barbell, so run it for 8 to 15 reps close to failure.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, one dumbbell per hand resting against the front of your thighs, palms facing you.
  2. Unlock your knees slightly, pull your shoulders down and back, and take a breath into your stomach.
  3. Push your hips straight back and let your chest tip forward, sliding the dumbbells down the front of your legs with your back flat and knees barely changing angle.
  4. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched and your hips will not travel back any farther, typically with the dumbbells somewhere between the knee and mid-shin.
  5. Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to stand tall, finishing upright without leaning back.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Dumbbells skim your legs
  • Stand tall, don't lean back

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees more as you go down: that turns the hinge into a squat; keep the knee bend you started with and let the hips do the moving.
  • Rounding the back to reach lower: end the rep where your hips stop going back, even if the dumbbells are only at your knees.
  • Letting the dumbbells drift forward: keep them brushing your thighs and shins so the load stays over your feet and off your lower back.
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One-leg hinge, light weights

Single-Leg RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

One leg at a time doubles the load per side, so a single dumbbell is enough, and it shows up a weaker side. Balance is part of it, so hold a rack or wall if you need to.

How to do it

  1. Stand on your left foot holding a dumbbell in your left hand, arm hanging straight, and unlock your left knee a little.
  2. Push your hips back and let your chest tip forward as your right leg lifts behind you in line with your body.
  3. Keep the dumbbell close to your standing leg and your hips pointing at the floor, not rotating open.
  4. Lower until you feel a strong stretch in the back of the left thigh, usually with your torso near parallel to the floor.
  5. Drive the left heel down and squeeze the left glute to bring your torso and back leg up together, then switch sides after the set.

Cues

  • Hips back, chest forward
  • Back leg and torso move as one
  • Hip bones face the floor

Common mistakes

  • Squatting down instead of hinging: keep the standing knee only slightly bent and let the hips travel back.
  • Opening the hip so the back toes turn out: point the back toes at the floor and keep both hip bones level.
  • Rounding the back to reach lower: stop where the hamstring stretch peaks and your back is still flat.
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Simplest kettlebell swap

Kettlebell Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back

One kettlebell held at your side, the same hinge with a short range. The easiest way to learn the deadlift pattern before you load a bar.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, the bell in one hand hanging beside that thigh, arm straight.
  2. Pull your shoulders down and back, take a breath and brace your stomach.
  3. Push your hips back and let your knees bend a little, sliding the bell down close to your leg until it nearly reaches the floor, back flat.
  4. Push the floor away and drive your hips forward until you stand tall with your glutes squeezed and your shoulders level.
  5. Finish the set, then switch hands for the next one.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Bell close to your leg
  • Stand up tall, don't lean back

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the bell down: if your knees travel forward and your hips sink low, push your hips back more and keep your shins near vertical.
  • Rounding your back to reach lower: stop the bell where your back is still flat.
  • Leaning back at the top: finish by squeezing your glutes with your ribs down, standing straight rather than bending backward.
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Fast hinge with a kettlebell

Kettlebell Swing

Glutes, Hamstrings

The swing turns the hinge into a hard hip snap, so it builds power and conditioning more than maximum strength. Keep a slower hinge in the week alongside it.

How to do it

  1. Set the bell a foot in front of you, feet a little wider than your hips, toes turned out slightly.
  2. Push your hips back, grab the handle with both hands and tip the bell toward you so your lats tighten before it moves.
  3. Hike it back between your thighs, high toward your hips, until your forearms touch your inner thighs.
  4. Snap your hips forward and stand tall with your glutes squeezed; the bell floats up to about shoulder height with straight arms.
  5. Let it drop, push your hips back as it passes your knees, and go straight into the next rep with no pause at the top.
  6. To stop, let the last rep swing back once more and park the bell on the floor in front of you.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Arms are ropes, hips are the engine
  • Stand up hard, glutes tight at the top

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the bell: your knees should bend only a little. If your shins move forward, you are squatting, not hinging.
  • Lifting with your arms to get the bell higher: let the hip snap float it to about shoulder height, with your arms only guiding it.
  • Leaning back at the top: finish standing straight like a plank, ribs down, with your glutes doing the locking.
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Bands

At home with only bands: high reps and a pause at the top make light work hard.

Hinge with only a band

Band Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back

You stand on the band and pull it up like a deadlift, and it gets harder the higher you go. Run sets of 15 or more, since a band is light.

How to do it

  1. Step onto the center of a handled band feet hip-width, a handle in each hand.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees until the handles are near your shins, with your back flat.
  3. Drive your hips forward and stand up tall, keeping the handles close to your legs.
  4. Lock out with a glute squeeze, then lower back down the same way.

Cues

  • Hips back, chest forward
  • Flat back
  • Lock out with your glutes

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your back to reach the bottom: bend your knees more and stop higher.
  • Leaning back at the top: stand tall and stop.
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Band hinge for hamstrings and lower back

Band Good Morning

Hamstrings, Lower Back

You stand on a band with the handles at your shoulders and hinge forward with a flat back. It trains the hamstrings and lower back the deadlift loads, with no grip work, so it pairs well with the band deadlift.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the band with feet hip-width, handles held at the fronts of your shoulders.
  2. Soften your knees and keep that bend.
  3. Push your hips back and tip your chest forward with a flat back, until you feel your hamstrings stretch.
  4. Drive your hips forward to come back to standing.

Cues

  • Hips go back first
  • Spine stays long
  • Stop at the hamstring stretch

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your upper back: keep your chest open and the handles pinned to your shoulders.
  • Bending your knees more and more: the hips move, the knees stay where they started.
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Pull-through with a band

Band Pull-Through

Glutes

Tie a band to a post behind you and hinge back, then drive your hips through. Easy on your lower back and good for high reps at home.

How to do it

  1. Anchor a long band low behind you, face away from it, and hold the band with both hands between your legs.
  2. Walk forward until the band is tight and stand with a wider than hip-width stance.
  3. Push your hips back, letting your hands pass between your legs, knees softly bent.
  4. Squeeze your glutes to drive your hips forward and stand tall. Pause for a second.

Cues

  • Hips back, hands follow
  • Arms are just hooks
  • Squeeze at the top

Common mistakes

  • Pulling with your arms: keep them straight; the hips do the work.
  • Squatting down instead of hinging: keep your shins nearly vertical.
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Example sessions without the barbell deadlift

Session 1

Gym, deadlifts beat up your back

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts1× a week
  • Working sets13 a week
  • Per workout~40 min
  • EquipmentTrap Bar, Barbells, Flat Bench, Hyperextension +1

You train in a gym and want to keep heavy hinge work, but conventional deadlifts leave your lower back sore for days.

The trap bar deadlift takes the deadlift's place as the heavy lift, for low reps with long rest. The hip thrust and back extension add glute and back work with less load on your spine, and the pull-through finishes with high reps. 13 working sets.

Hinge day
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Trap Bar Deadlift2 warm-up sets firstStand up fast, lower in control. 4 × 4–6 2 3:30 min
Hip Thrust 3 × 8–12 2 2:30 min
45-Degree Back Extension 3 × 10–15 2 90 s
Cable Pull-Through 3 × 12–15 1 1 min
How to run it
Run it once a week as your heavy pull day, or twice a week on non-consecutive days if your back recovers well.
How to progress
When every set of a lift reaches the top of its range at the RIR shown, add the smallest weight jump you have next session and start again at the bottom of the range.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, dumbbells and a kettlebell

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Kettlebells

You train at home with a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a kettlebell, and no barbell.

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift takes the deadlift's place for moderate reps, the single-leg RDL makes light weights hard, and kettlebell swings add fast hip work. 10 working sets.

Hinge day
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 4 × 8–12 2 2 min
Single-Leg RDLSets are per leg. 3 × 8–12 1 90 s
Kettlebell SwingCrisp reps, stop when they slow. 3 × 15–20 2 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week on non-consecutive days. Slow the lowering to three seconds on the RDLs if your dumbbells are light.
How to progress
Add reps first. Once you reach the top of the range on every set, move up a dumbbell; at your heaviest, slow the lowering or pause just below the knee.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Home with only bands

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentResistance Bands

You train at home with a handled band and a long band you can tie to a post.

With only bands, the band deadlift, band good morning and band pull-through keep the hinge from three angles. Reps run high and close to failure because the load is light. 10 working sets.

Hinge day
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Band Deadlift 4 × 15–25 1 1 min
Band Pull-Through 3 × 15–20 1 1 min
Band Good Morning 3 × 15–20 1 1 min
How to run it
Two or three times a week. Rest only 45 to 60 seconds so the light load adds up.
How to progress
Add reps until you hit the top of each range, then pause for two seconds at the top, then move to a thicker band.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What is the best alternative to the deadlift?

The trap bar deadlift. It loads the same muscles heavy while keeping your torso more upright, which most people find easier on their lower back.

How can I do deadlifts at home?

With dumbbells, do dumbbell Romanian deadlifts or single-leg RDLs. With a band, stand on it and pull up like a deadlift, or tie it to a post and do pull-throughs.

What can I do instead of deadlifts if my gym has no barbells?

Use dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, kettlebell deadlifts or swings, cable pull-throughs and 45-degree back extensions. Together they cover the glutes, hamstrings and lower back the deadlift trains.

What muscles do deadlifts work?

Mainly your glutes, hamstrings and lower back, with your quads, upper back, traps and grip working hard too. A good replacement keeps the hip hinge so the glutes and hamstrings still do most of the work.

Are deadlifts worth doing?

Yes, if they feel good and you recover from them. They are not required: a trap bar deadlift or Romanian deadlift plus a back extension builds the same muscles.

How much weight should I deadlift?

Pick a weight you can lift for the low end of your rep range with a flat back and 1 to 3 reps left in reserve. Add a small amount each time you reach the top of the range on every set.