Machine
Assisted deadlift machine
Guided machine that lets you do deadlifts with a stable path. You can load heavier without managing a free barbell. Great if you want to focus on your back and legs with more control, whether you’re new to lifting or just prefer a fixed movement.
At 75 of the 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Feet under the handles, flat back.
- Push through the floor and stand up by driving your hips forward.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- —
Setup
- Place your feet under the bar or handles, about hip-width or a bit wider, well centred on the platform.
- Adjust the handle or bar height so they sit around mid-shin or a bit higher when you’re standing tall.
- Choose the grip on the machine handles and keep your arms long, relaxed, and close to your body.
- Load equal plates on each side of the machine so the movement stays balanced.
- Test the position with a few reps with no weight or very light weight to make sure your back stays stable and the path of the machine feels good.
How to do it
- Stand tall with your feet planted, chest open, and your gaze forward or slightly down without cranking your neck.
- Grab the handles with your arms straight and brace your midsection gently, like you’re preparing for a small poke in the stomach.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower the weight, keeping your back stable and the machine close to you; go down until you feel good tension in the back of the body without rounding your back.
- Take about 2 to 3 seconds to lower the weight, breathing in as you go down.
- Drive through your feet and bring your hips forward to stand up, without leaning back; breathe out as you come up.
- Return the weight to the starting point on each rep, keeping the same control and a comfortable range of motion for you.
Common mistakes
Rounding the back at the bottom
Instead : Shorten the range of motion a bit so you can keep your back stable. Think more about pushing your hips back instead of just bending forward, and keep your chest open.
Letting the weight drift away from the body
Instead : Adjust your foot position so the machine’s path stays close to your legs. Keep the handles close to you for the whole movement.
Pulling mostly with the arms on the way up
Instead : Focus on pushing the floor away with your feet and driving with your hips. Your arms stay long and just hold the weight, they don’t do the main work.
Snapping hard at the top
Instead : Stop when you’re standing straight without thrusting your hips forward aggressively. Keep a light brace in your midsection the whole time.
Coach tips
- Aim for a controlled 2 to 3 second descent and a slightly faster but still controlled ascent, without using momentum.
- Breathe in as you go down and out as you come up; keep your breathing smooth instead of holding it too long.
- Start with a light load to get used to how this machine moves in your gym before gradually adding weight.
- If you feel like you’re losing stability, lower the weight and film a set from the side to check your posture.
Variations
- Partial range machine deadlift: limit how low you go to work the part of the movement where you feel the most solid.
- Paused machine deadlift: add a one-second pause at the bottom before coming up to better control your position.
- Machine deadlift with slightly wider stance: move your feet a bit wider to find the most comfortable position for your hips and knees.
Sets and reps
On this machine, people often do 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, depending on the load and their experience. Some also use it at the end of a workout with lighter weight for more controlled work.
Exercises on this machine
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Common questions
What is the assisted deadlift machine for?
It’s used to mimic a deadlift with a guided path. That way you can load your back and legs while having a more stable movement than with a free bar.
Can I use the machine deadlift instead of a barbell deadlift?
Yes, many people use this machine instead of a barbell when they want a more guided movement, have less space, or want to focus on pushing without balancing a bar.
Where should I place my feet on the assisted deadlift machine?
Start with your feet about hip-width or a bit wider, centred under the bar or handles. Adjust slightly forward or back so the machine travels close to your legs.
How do I know if the weight is too heavy?
If your back starts moving a lot, you need to jerk the weight off the bottom, or you lose control in the lower part of the lift, the load is probably too heavy. Drop the weight a bit so you can keep steady technique.