The barbell exercise where you lift a loaded bar from the floor up to hip level is called the what?

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The barbell exercise in which you lift a loaded bar from the floor to hip level is called the deadlift.

In a conventional deadlift, the lifter starts with the bar on the floor, braces the torso, and raises it by extending the knees and hips. The movement finishes when the lifter stands upright with the bar held near the thighs. The exercise primarily develops the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, spinal erectors, and other muscles that stabilize the trunk and hips.

Deadlifts are often described as a hip-hinge exercise because the hips move backward during the lowering phase while the spine is held in a controlled position. Technique matters: rounding the lower back, jerking the bar, or letting it drift far from the legs can increase unnecessary strain.

The deadlift is different from the clean and snatch, which are Olympic lifts that move the bar explosively to the shoulders or overhead. A deadlift may be part of those lifts, but simply raising a bar to hip height is not itself a clean or snatch.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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