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How a Deadlift Injury Taught Me the Value of a Pre-Lift Checklist

I approached the bar as I would any standard deadlift—so I believed. I positioned my feet, hinged toward the bar, gripped it, and pulled. The weight wasn’t exceptionally heavy, yet this lift felt distinct—physically so. A cracking sound emanated from my lower back, which later revealed three herniated discs.

Numerous components of my typical deadlift setup could have been amiss during that set. However, without mentally rehearsing each step of the lift, identifying exactly what caused a seemingly routine movement to go disastrously wrong proved challenging.

This is precisely why a deadlift pre-lift checklist is invaluable—it helps optimize every lift while minimizing injury risk. Deadlifting demands full-body alignment, as it can mean the difference between a personal record (PR) and a PR marred by lower back injury. Unlike the squat or bench press, the deadlift starts from a bottom-loaded position, eliminating the stretch reflex. You must generate tension, stability, and power from the ground upward.

Thus, a consistent pre-lift checklist is non-negotiable. With insights from Tasha “Iron Wolf” Whelan—a world champion powerlifter and strongwoman with a 515-pound deadlift PR—we’ll walk you through a robust deadlift pre-lift checklist.

Why a Pre-Lift Routine Matters for Deadlifts

Few exercises rival the deadlift for full-body strength development, but as a total-body movement, a pre-pull routine is essential.

Note: No two lifters will have identical setups. Limb length, mobility, and training style produce minor variations—and that’s acceptable. This checklist focuses on the core universal principles applicable to all conventional deadlifters.

The Deadlift Pre-Lift Checklist: Step-by-Step

1. Establish a Rock-Solid Foot Base

Before touching the bar, you need an unshakable foundation. Deadlift errors—such as forward tipping, bar drift, or lower back strain—often originate from poor foot placement.

Why the midfoot? It’s your center of balance. If the bar starts ahead of the midfoot, it will swing away from you; if too close, it will pull you forward once the plates leave the ground.

• Internal Cue: “Engage your entire foot.”

• External Cue: “Bar aligned over the laces.”

• Tasha’s Tip: There’s no “one-size-fits-all” foot width. It depends on your physique, leverages, and muscle dominance (quadriceps vs. hamstring focus).

2. Root Your Feet for Tension

Positioning your feet correctly is only half the battle—now you need to turn them into anchors. Rooting your feet generates tension in the hips, glutes, and hamstrings prior to pulling. This action creates hip external rotation, ensuring proper knee tracking.

• Internal Cue: “Screw your feet into the floor.”

• External Cue: “Pretend to spread the floor apart.”

• Tasha’s Tip: Grip the floor with your feet as if you’re trying to “split” it. A stable base translates to more power and less energy waste.

3. Master the Hip Hinge

Deadlifts revolve around the hip hinge. Bending your knees first (like a squat) causes the bar to drift forward; over-hinging with locked knees results in a stiff-legged deadlift. The optimal position is between these two extremes.

• Internal Cue: “Keep hamstrings tight, spine elongated.”

• External Cue: “Reach your glutes toward the wall behind you.”

• Tasha’s Tip: Discover your ideal hip position—balance between knee bend and hip hinge to maintain bar path and tension.

4. Secure a Strong Grip

With feet and hips aligned, it’s time to grip the bar—but grip technique matters. A weak or uneven grip can disrupt bar path, waste energy, and sap strength before the pull even begins.

• Internal Cue: “Crush the bar with your hands.”

• External Cue: “Pretend to bend the bar.”

• Tasha’s Tip: If your grip feels off pre-lift, it will worsen during the movement. Reset and squeeze the bar firmly.

5. Stabilize Spine and Lats

A powerful deadlift relies on a neutral spine and engaged lats. If your back rounds or lats are loose, the bar will drift, leverage is lost, and your lower back bears the brunt.

• Internal Cue: “Squeeze oranges in your armpits.”

• External Cue: “Bend the bar toward your shins.”

• Tasha’s Tip: Eliminate slack in the bar and lock everything tight before pulling. Keep arms long: Imagine “reaching” through the floor while “squeezing oranges in your armpits.”

6. Brace Your Core for Stability

Do not move until your core is fully braced. The deadlift requires total-body tension, amplified by proper breathing and bracing. This combination stabilizes the spine and improves force transfer from the floor to the lower body.

• Internal Cue: “Fill your torso with air.”

• External Cue: “Push your abs against your belt.”

• Tasha’s Tip: Take a deep 360-degree breath—expand your belly, sides, and back. This intra-abdominal pressure stabilizes the spine and protects it under load. Reset between reps if needed—poor breathing undermines strong pulls.

7. Final System Check (2 Seconds That Save Your Lift)

This quick pause can make or break your pull. Before the bar leaves the ground, confirm all of the following are locked in:

1. Rock-solid foot base

2. Rooted, tension-generating feet

3. Proper hip hinge

4. Strong, even grip

5. Neutral spine + engaged lats

6. Braced core

If everything aligns, you’re ready to pull.

Whelan’s Final Advice for a Smoother, Stronger Deadlift

Whelan emphasizes that refining your setup isn’t about perfection—it’s about consistency in applying these universal principles. Minor adjustments (e.g., foot width, hip depth) for your body type are normal—but never skip the pre-lift checklist. It’s the difference between a PR and a preventable injury.

By integrating this routine into your deadlift practice, you’ll build full-body strength, reduce injury risk, and unlock gains you never thought possible.