Exercise library
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
The stiff-leg deadlift is a hip-hinge movement that loads the hamstrings and glutes through a long stretch with only a slight bend in the knees.
BarbellLegsIntermediate
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Focus
- Legs
- Level
- Intermediate
- Suggested sets
- 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps.
- Muscles worked
- HamstringsGlutesLower back
How to do it
- 1Stand with the barbell held in front of your thighs, feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
- 2Set your shoulders back and brace your core with a neutral spine.
- 3Push your hips back and let the bar travel down close to your legs while keeping your legs nearly straight.
- 4Lower until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, keeping your back flat.
- 5Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes at the top, then repeat.
Tips & tricks
- Keep the bar close to your body throughout the movement.
- Think about pushing your hips back rather than bending forward at the waist.
- Only go as low as you can without rounding your lower back.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back as the bar descends.
- Bending the knees too much and turning it into a regular deadlift.
- Letting the bar drift away from your legs.
