Shoulders behind the bar in the set up of a deadlift: which adjustment is recommended?

• A. Raise the hips to move the shoulders over, or slightly in front of, the bar.
• B. Lower the hips to bring the shoulders behind the bar.
• C. Keep hips flat and adjust grip.
• D. Move the shoulders behind the bar by stepping forward.

Answer: (A)

In a deadlift setup, align the bar with your midfoot and position your shoulders over the bar or slightly in front of it so the spine stays tight and the bar can travel straight up. When the shoulders sit behind the bar, the bar is effectively behind your center of gravity, making it harder to maintain a strong, neutral spine and a vertical bar path. Raising the hips brings the shoulders forward toward the bar, bringing the bar closer to your body and helping you brace the lats and hips to initiate the pull from a solid hinge. This reduces unnecessary forward bar travel and lower-back stress, setting a more efficient starting position. Lowering the hips would push the shoulders behind the bar and worsen alignment; keeping hips flat and simply adjusting grip won’t correct the misalignment; stepping forward to move the shoulders behind the bar would disrupt balance and bar position.