Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and the barbell positioned over the middle of your feet.
2. Grip the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip, keeping your arms fully extended.
3. Lift the bar to a full standing position to begin the movement from the top down.
4. Set your knees with a very slight bend (5-10 degrees) and lock them in this fixed position throughout the entire set.

How to do it

1. Inhale and brace your core, then hinge at the hips to lower the bar slowly toward the floor while keeping it very close to your shins.
2. Continue lowering until you feel a maximum stretch in your hamstrings, ensuring your spine remains perfectly neutral.
3. Exhale and drive your hips forward to return to the starting position, focusing on pulling with the hamstrings and glutes.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase to maximize muscle fiber recruitment.

Form checklist

• Keep the spine neutral from head to tailbone; do not allow the lower back to round.
• Maintain a constant, slight bend in the knees; do not allow them to bend further into a traditional deadlift position.
• Keep the barbell close to your legs throughout the entire range of motion to minimize lumbar shear.
• Stop the descent once your hips stop moving backward, regardless of whether the plates touch the floor.

Pro tips

• Focus on pushing your hips as far back as possible as if trying to touch a wall behind you with your glutes to maximize hamstring tension.
• Think of your hands as hooks; do not pull with your arms, let the posterior chain do all the work.
• Maintain a 'proud chest' throughout the movement to help keep the thoracic spine from collapsing.

Make it harder

• Perform the exercise standing on a small platform (deficit) to increase the range of motion and the stretch on the hamstrings.
• Incorporate a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement to eliminate momentum and increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell stiff legged deadlift work?

The barbell stiff legged deadlift primarily targets the erector spinae, glutes, and hamstrings, and also works the quadriceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell stiff legged deadlift?

The barbell stiff legged deadlift uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the barbell stiff legged deadlift good for beginners?

The barbell stiff legged deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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