I’ll never forget my first attempt at the Maximum Deadlift during ACFT practice. I stepped inside the hex bar feeling confident, grabbed the handles, and immediately felt something was off. My grip was uneven, my feet were too far forward, and when I tried to lift 250 pounds, the whole bar tilted to one side. I barely got it off the ground before my grader stopped me.
That day taught me something crucial: the MDL event isn’t just about being strong. It’s about setting up correctly. A proper hex bar setup can add 30-40 pounds to your max lift, while a poor setup can cost you points or even cause injury.
After helping dozens of soldiers prepare for their ACFT, I’ve learned exactly what makes the difference between a failed lift and a successful one. Let me walk you through everything you need to know.
Why the Hex Bar Setup Actually Matters
Most soldiers underestimate setup. They think, “I’m strong enough, I’ll just pick it up.” Then they wonder why they can’t lift as much as they did in training, or why their back hurts afterward.
Here’s what proper setup gives you:
Better leverage – Correct positioning puts your strongest muscle groups in optimal alignment. I’ve seen soldiers add 20-30 pounds just by fixing their foot placement.
Injury prevention – The MDL event puts serious stress on your lower back, knees, and grip. Wrong setup magnifies that stress. Right setup distributes it safely.
Consistent performance – When your setup is dialed in, you can reproduce the same lift every time. No guessing, no adjusting mid-rep.
Mental confidence – Knowing your setup is perfect lets you focus entirely on the lift itself. That mental edge matters when you’re attempting your max weight.
Understanding the ACFT Hex Bar
Before we dive into setup, let’s talk about the equipment itself. The hex bar (also called a trap bar) looks different from a regular barbell, and those differences matter.
Basic Specifications
The standard ACFT hex bar weighs 60 pounds (with a tolerance range of 58-62 pounds). It’s built with:
- A hexagonal frame that you step inside
- Two parallel handles you grip
- Weight sleeves on both sides for loading plates
- A center of gravity that sits around your body rather than in front of it
This design is why the Army chose it over traditional straight bars. When you lift a hex bar, the weight stays closer to your center of mass. Less forward stress on your spine, better mechanical advantage, safer lifting pattern.
Handle Configuration
Most military-grade hex bars have handles at a single height, though some commercial versions you might train with have dual-height handles (high and low positions). For ACFT purposes, use whatever handle height is standard on your unit’s equipment.
The handles are typically about 1.34 inches in diameter and spaced approximately 25 inches apart on center. This spacing accommodates most shoulder widths comfortably.
Step-by-Step Setup Process
Let me walk you through the entire setup, exactly how I coach it.
1. Start With a Level Surface
This sounds obvious, but I’ve seen soldiers try to set up on uneven ground, sloped concrete, or soft turf. Don’t.
Your hex bar needs to sit on:
- Flat gym flooring
- Level rubber matting (like what’s used on ACFT test lanes)
- Even concrete or asphalt
- Properly installed turf with firm backing
Why does this matter? An unlevel surface throws off your entire lift. The bar won’t sit evenly, you’ll compensate by twisting your body, and your form breaks down before you even start pulling.
Quick check: Set the bar down and look at it from the side. Both ends should touch the ground simultaneously. If one side rocks or sits higher, find a better spot.
2. Load Your Weight Plates Properly
This is where most mistakes happen. I’ve watched countless soldiers load plates incorrectly and wonder why their lift felt “off.”
The right way to load:
Start with the bar on the ground. Slide your first plate onto one weight sleeve until it sits flush against the inner collar stop. The plate should be completely flat against that stop—no gaps, no tilting.
Immediately walk to the other side and load an identical plate. Always load in pairs. Always.
Continue adding pairs until you reach your target weight. If you’re attempting 240 pounds, that’s three 45-pound plates per side (270 pounds total with the 60-pound bar), or you might use combinations like two 45s plus one 25 (250 pounds total).
Critical loading rules:
- Heaviest plates go on first (closest to the bar)
- Lighter plates stack on the outside
- Never load one side completely before the other
- Secure everything with collars once loaded
That last point is non-negotiable. Plate collars prevent weights from sliding during your lift. I’ve seen plates slide off mid-rep because someone skipped the collars. It’s dangerous and it’s an automatic test failure.
3. Check Your Weight Balance
Once loaded, step back and eyeball the bar from behind. Both sides should look identical—same number of plates, same spacing, same positioning.
Then do a balance test. Grab one handle lightly and try to tip the bar side to side. It should feel neutral, not wanting to lean either direction. If it tips easily, your weight distribution is uneven.
This seems picky, but unbalanced weight affects everything. Your grip will compensate, your shoulders will tilt, and one side of your body works harder than the other. That’s inefficient at best, dangerous at worst.
4. Position Yourself Inside the Bar
Time to step in. This is where your lift actually begins, even though you haven’t touched the handles yet.
Stand in the center of the hex bar. Look down at your feet. They should be:
Width: Roughly hip-width apart, maybe slightly wider. This isn’t a squat, so you don’t need a super wide stance. Think about your natural standing position and go maybe an inch or two wider than that.
Angle: Toes pointed slightly outward, about 10-15 degrees. Not straight forward like you’re at attention, not splayed way out like a sumo squat. Just a natural, comfortable angle.
Position relative to the bar: Here’s the key detail most people get wrong. Your shins should be about 2-3 inches from the front edge of the hex bar frame. Not touching it, not way behind it—just close.
Why does this distance matter? It puts the bar’s weight directly over the middle of your foot when you grip the handles. That’s your strongest pulling position. Too far forward and you’re pulling at a bad angle. Too far back and you lose leverage.
5. Set Your Grip on the Handles
Bend at your hips and knees to reach the handles. Keep your back straight as you descend—this isn’t the lift yet, just the setup.
Grab both handles simultaneously. Your grip should be:
Centered: Both hands equidistant from the weight sleeves. If you grip too far forward or back on one side, the bar rotates during the lift.
Full-hand: Wrap all four fingers around the handle with your thumb on the opposite side. No partial grips, no “just hanging on with your fingers” approach.
Firm but not death-grip: You want solid control, but if you’re squeezing so hard your forearms are already fatiguing, you’ll gas out before you complete three reps.
Knuckles forward: Your knuckles should face the same direction your toes point. This keeps your wrists neutral and your forearms aligned properly.
Some soldiers use chalk on their hands. If your unit allows it and you struggle with grip, it helps. But proper grip technique matters more than chalk.
6. Establish Your Body Position
Now comes the most important part of setup: your body alignment before the lift.
With your hands on the handles, adjust your body into this position:
Back: Straight from your tailbone to your neck. Not rounded, not excessively arched. Think “neutral spine.” Imagine someone placed a straight stick along your back—it should touch your tailbone, mid-back, and head all at once.
Chest: Lifted and proud, like you’re trying to show off a shirt logo. This automatically helps straighten your back.
Shoulders: Positioned directly above or slightly in front of the handles. Not way behind, not way ahead. This gives you the best leverage angle.
Hips: Higher than your knees but lower than your shoulders. The exact height depends on your build, but generally your hips sit about midway between your knees and shoulders when you’re in proper position.
Knees: Bent to allow you to reach the handles while keeping your back straight. They should track over your toes, not caving inward or bowing outward.
Head: Neutral position, looking forward or slightly downward. Some people look way up at the ceiling—don’t. That hyperextends your neck and throws off your spine alignment.
Weight distribution: Most of your weight should be on your heels and mid-foot. Not on your toes. If you were to lift your toes slightly, you should still feel balanced.
This position might feel awkward the first few times. That’s normal. Your body isn’t used to it. But this is the strongest, safest lifting position biomechanically possible.
7. Create Tension Before the Lift
Here’s a technique that separates experienced lifters from beginners: taking the slack out of the bar.
With everything positioned correctly, pull upward gently—just enough to create tension in your arms, shoulders, and back. The plates might barely lift off the ground, or they might not lift at all. That’s fine.
What you’re doing is:
- Engaging your lats and upper back
- Loading your hamstrings and glutes
- Creating a rigid connection from your hands to your feet
- Removing any “play” or looseness in your body
When you actually start the lift, there’s no jarring jerk. Just smooth, controlled force. Taking the slack out first makes that possible.
Executing the Lift Correctly
Setup is done. Time to actually lift.
Drive through your heels and mid-foot. Think about pushing the floor away from you rather than pulling the bar up. Weird as that sounds, it works. You’re using your legs to generate force, not yanking with your back.
As the bar rises, keep it close to your body. The hex bar design helps with this, but you still need to maintain that proximity. Farther from your body means harder lift.
Extend your knees and hips simultaneously. Don’t straighten your legs while your hips are still bent, and don’t shoot your hips up while your knees are still bent. Everything moves together.
Stand fully upright at the top. Shoulders back, hips locked out, knees straight. This is the “lockout” position, and you need to hit it cleanly for the rep to count.
Hold for a split second—not a long pause, just enough to show control.
Lower the bar under control. Don’t just drop it. The descent doesn’t need to be super slow, but it should be deliberate.
That’s one rep. You need three total for the MDL event, and all three must meet form standards.
Common Setup Mistakes I See Repeatedly
After coaching this for years, I can predict the mistakes before they happen.
Mistake 1: Uneven Weight Loading
Someone loads three 45s on one side, then gets distracted and only puts two on the other. Or they load everything on one side before touching the other, and the bar tips over.
Always load in pairs. Always double-check before you secure the collars.
Mistake 2: Skipping the Collars
“It’s fine, the plates won’t slide.” Famous last words. Plates can and do slide during heavy lifts, especially if you’re fighting to maintain balance.
Lock those collars. Every single time.
Mistake 3: Standing Too Far Into the Bar
Soldiers step way deep into the hex bar, thinking it gives them better leverage. It doesn’t. Your shins end up pressed against the back edge, you’re reaching forward to grab the handles, and your whole pulling angle is wrong.
Stay forward in the hex bar. Shins close to the front edge.
Mistake 4: Rounded Back at Setup
The lift hasn’t even started and their back is already rounded. When they pull, that rounding gets worse.
Fix your back position before you touch the weight. If you can’t reach the handles without rounding, you need to work on hip mobility. Don’t compensate with bad form.
Mistake 5: Looking Up at the Ceiling
I don’t know where this idea came from, but people crane their necks way back to look straight up. They think it helps them lift. It doesn’t—it just strains your neck and disrupts your spine alignment.
Keep your head neutral. Look forward or slightly down.
Mistake 6: Death-Gripping the Handles
White knuckles, shaking forearms, grip so tight their hands hurt before they even lift. Then they wonder why their grip gave out on rep two.
Grip firmly, not desperately. Your hands are there to hold the bar, not to do the lifting. Your legs and back do that work.
Mistake 7: Jerking the Bar
No slack removal, no tension buildup. Just a sudden yank upward. The bar either doesn’t move, or it jerks up unevenly.
Smooth force application wins. Set your tension first, then drive smoothly.
How to Choose Your Weight for the MDL Event
Setup is only part of the equation. You also need to know what weight to attempt.
The ACFT MDL event lets you choose your weight. Heavier weights score higher, but only if you can lift them correctly for three reps.
General weight guidelines based on training level:
Beginners or those new to deadlifting: Start with 140-180 pounds. Get your form perfect here before adding weight.
Intermediate strength level: 200-260 pounds is a common range. Most soldiers who train regularly fall into this category.
Strong lifters: 280-320 pounds. This requires consistent strength training and solid technique.
Maximum scorers: 340 pounds (the highest weight tested). Very few soldiers hit this mark.
Don’t ego-lift on test day. Choose a weight you’ve successfully lifted in training. You need three clean reps with lockout, and if you fail any rep, your score drops significantly.
Strategy tip: If you’re between two weights and unsure, go lighter. Three solid reps at 240 pounds scores better than two shaky reps and a failed third at 260 pounds.
Equipment Variations and Alternatives
Your training environment might not have the exact equipment used for the ACFT test. Here’s how to adapt.
Training Without a Hex Bar
Some gyms don’t have hex bars. You can still train the movement pattern with a straight barbell using a conventional deadlift stance. It’s not identical—the bar sits in front of you rather than around you—but it builds the same muscle groups and teaches similar mechanics.
If you do this, focus extra hard on keeping the bar close to your body during the lift. That’s the biggest difference between straight bar and hex bar deadlifts.
Different Hex Bar Models
Commercial hex bars vary. Some have high and low handles. Some are narrower or wider than military equipment. Some have different weight capacities.
If your training bar differs from your test bar, spend time practicing on the actual test equipment before your ACFT. Even small differences in handle height or bar width affect your setup and feel.
Home Setup Options
Can’t get to a gym? Your home setup options are limited. Resistance bands can mimic the movement pattern but don’t provide the same heavy loading. Straight bars work better if you have access to one and adequate weight plates.
For serious ACFT prep, I recommend finding a facility with proper hex bar equipment. The movement is specific enough that you want to train on the actual tool you’ll be tested with.
Safety Considerations for Heavy Deadlifts
The MDL event is safe when done correctly. When done incorrectly, it can cause serious injury.
Warm Up Properly
Never walk in cold and attempt heavy deadlifts. Your warm-up should include:
- 5-10 minutes of light cardio to raise your heart rate
- Dynamic stretches for hips, hamstrings, and back
- Mobility work if you have tight hips or ankles
- Practice reps with just the empty bar or light weight
Know Your Limits
Training is where you test your limits and push boundaries. Test day is where you demonstrate what you’ve already proven you can do. Don’t attempt a weight you’ve never successfully lifted before.
Use a Spotter or Coach When Training
Someone should watch your form, especially during heavy attempts. They can spot issues you don’t feel and stop you before you hurt yourself.
Listen to Your Body
Sharp pain isn’t normal. If something feels wrong during setup or the lift, stop. Tight muscles and exertion discomfort are expected. Stabbing pain in your back or knees is a red flag.
Recover Between Attempts
During training, give yourself adequate rest between heavy sets. Your body needs time to recover. For max effort attempts, 3-5 minutes rest is normal.
Progression Plan for Improving Your MDL Score
Want to increase your hex bar deadlift? Here’s how to structure your training.
Frequency
Train deadlifts 1-2 times per week. More than that and you risk overtraining. Your back and central nervous system need recovery time after heavy pulling.
Programming
Week 1: Work at 70% of your max for 3-4 sets of 5 reps. Focus on perfect form.
Week 2: Work at 80% of your max for 3-4 sets of 3 reps. Moderate weight, still practicing technique.
Week 3: Work at 90% of your max for 2-3 sets of 2 reps. Heavy weight, testing your progress.
Week 4: Deload week. Light weight, low volume. Let your body recover.
Repeat this cycle, gradually increasing the weights at each percentage as you get stronger.
Accessory Work
Your deadlift improves when you strengthen supporting muscle groups:
- Romanian deadlifts for hamstrings
- Back extensions for lower back endurance
- Barbell rows for upper back strength
- Core work (planks, dead bugs) for stability
- Grip training (farmer’s carries, dead hangs)
Technique Practice
Even when not lifting heavy, practice your setup. Go through the entire process with light weight or even no weight. Build muscle memory so your setup becomes automatic.
Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues
Problems happen. Here’s how to fix them.
Problem: Bar feels unbalanced during the lift Diagnosis: Weight loaded unevenly or collars aren’t secured Fix: Unload completely and reload with attention to symmetry
Problem: Can’t reach handles without rounding your back Diagnosis: Limited hip mobility or hamstring flexibility Fix: Work on mobility drills, consider box deadlifts to reduce range of motion temporarily
Problem: Bar drifts away from your body during the lift Diagnosis: Setup position too far back in the hex bar, or not engaging lats Fix: Move shins closer to front of bar, pull slack out before lifting
Problem: Grip fails before legs give out Diagnosis: Weak forearm strength or death-gripping the handles Fix: Add grip training to your program, practice holding heavy weight
Problem: Setup feels unstable or wobbly Diagnosis: Uneven surface, poor weight distribution, or improper foot placement Fix: Check ground level, verify weight balance, adjust stance width
Final Thoughts on Hex Bar Setup
The Maximum Deadlift event is straightforward: pick up heavy weight three times. But “straightforward” doesn’t mean “easy,” and it definitely doesn’t mean you can ignore setup.
I’ve watched strong soldiers fail with 280 pounds because their setup was sloppy, and I’ve seen technically sound soldiers succeed with 300 pounds despite being smaller. The difference? One group understood that the lift starts before you ever touch the bar.
Take setup seriously. Practice it until it’s automatic. Check every detail before you pull. Your ACFT score—and your back—will thank you.
Ready to calculate your MDL score based on your max weight? Use our ACFT calculator to see exactly how your deadlift performance translates to points and find out what weight you should target for your next test.
Disclaimer: This guide provides general information about ACFT hex bar setup and the Maximum Deadlift event. Always follow your unit’s specific procedures and refer to official Army publications including FM 7-22 for authoritative guidance. Consult with qualified trainers or medical professionals before beginning any heavy strength training program.