Few things are more frustrating than pulling a heavy bar to your knees and watching it stall there. A weak lockout leaves makeable lifts on the floor. The good news is that lockout strength responds quickly to the right training once you understand what drives the top of the pull.
What Drives the Lockout
The top of the deadlift is finished by your hips, glutes, and upper back. If the bar stalls at or above the knee, those are usually the weak links. Building powerful hips and a strong upper back that can hold position is the foundation of a reliable lockout. A back that rounds at the top robs you of the position to finish.
Overload the Top Range
Rack pulls and block pulls let you train the lockout with heavier weight than a full deadlift. Set the height just below where you stall and pull from there for low to moderate reps. The overload builds strength through the top and gets you comfortable handling big weight at the finish. Keep the reps clean so you are training the position, not just heaving the bar.
Build the Hips and Back
Direct strength work feeds the lockout too. Hip thrusts and heavy hinge work build the hip drive that snaps the bar to lockout. Rows and heavy carries build the upper back strength to hold a tight position under load. Train these alongside your pulls and the whole top of your deadlift gets stronger.
Strong hips, a tight upper back, and overloaded top-range work. Put those together and the bar that used to die at your knees finishes clean.