Stiff-Leg Deadlift

The stiff-leg deadlift is a barbell hip-hinge exercise that builds the hamstrings, glutes and lower back through a long, stretched range of motion. It starts and ends with the bar on the floor, and the legs stay almost straight for the entire rep, which is what separates it from the Romanian deadlift and the conventional deadlift. Bodybuilders use it to add hamstring and glute size with a deep stretch under load; powerlifters and general lifters use it as posterior-chain accessory work that reinforces the hip-hinge pattern they need for their main deadlift. This guide covers exactly how to perform the stiff-leg deadlift with good technique, the muscles it trains, how to program it for size or strength, the mistakes that cause most of its back and hamstring complaints, and the variations and alternatives worth knowing.

What muscles does the stiff-leg deadlift work?

The stiff-leg deadlift keeps the knees nearly locked, which removes most of the quadriceps' role and shifts the work almost entirely onto the hip extensors — the hamstrings and glutes — and the erector spinae, which holds the spine rigid through a long lever arm. Because the knees barely bend, the hamstrings are worked through hip extension over a longer, more stretched range than in a conventional deadlift, which is why the stiff-leg deadlift is used more for posterior-chain size and flexibility than for maximal loading. Stance width and grip have a smaller effect here than in other deadlift variants; the biggest variable is how far you can lower the bar before your lower back rounds.

How grip and angle change muscle activation

Electromyography (EMG) research comparing hinge-pattern deadlift variations shows the stiff-leg deadlift and the Romanian deadlift emphasize the posterior chain differently, even though they look similar. Treat these as approximate, relative findings rather than exact percentages.

• Stiff-leg deadlift vs. Romanian deadlift: The stiff-leg deadlift shows greater gluteus maximus activation during the pull, while the Romanian deadlift shows greater semitendinosus (inner hamstring) activation.
• Near-straight knee position: Minimizes the knee-extensor (quadriceps) contribution, so almost all of the work falls on the hip extensors and lower back.
• Full floor-to-standing range: Produces a longer stretched-position hold on the hamstrings at the bottom than partial-range hinges, without the stretch-reflex assist of a Romanian deadlift that never touches down.
• Bar kept close to the shins: Shortens the lever arm on the lower back and keeps erector spinae demand lower relative to hip-extensor demand.

Based on EMG research. [1]

How do you do the stiff-leg deadlift?

To do the Stiff-Leg Deadlift: stand with your feet hip-width apart and the bar over the middle of your feet, close enough that your shins nearly touch it; bend down and grip the bar just outside your shins, take a breath, brace your core, and pull your chest up to set a flat, neutral spine before the bar leaves the floor; unlock your knees slightly and hold that same small bend — do not let them bend further as the set goes on; drive through your heels and stand up by extending your hips, dragging the bar up your shins and thighs as it rises.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the bar over the middle of your feet, close enough that your shins nearly touch it.
2. Bend down and grip the bar just outside your shins, take a breath, brace your core, and pull your chest up to set a flat, neutral spine before the bar leaves the floor.
3. Unlock your knees slightly and hold that same small bend — do not let them bend further as the set goes on.
4. Drive through your heels and stand up by extending your hips, dragging the bar up your shins and thighs as it rises.
5. Stand tall at the top with your hips fully extended and shoulders back — don't lean backward or hyperextend your lower back to finish the rep.
6. Reverse the movement by pushing your hips back first, keeping the bar close to your legs, and lower it under control until it lightly touches the floor before the next rep.

What are the key stiff-leg deadlift form cues?

Knee position

Unlock the knees slightly at the start and keep that exact bend for every rep. Letting the knees bend more as you descend turns the lift into a Romanian deadlift.

Hip hinge

Push your hips back first on the way down, not your chest forward. Your hips travel backward as your torso lowers toward the bar.

Bar path

Keep the bar dragging along your shins and thighs. A bar that drifts forward away from your body turns straight into lower-back strain.

Spine position

Set a flat, neutral lower back before you break the floor and hold it for the whole rep — a rounding lower back is the single biggest fault to fix here.

Lat engagement

Pull your shoulder blades down and back, and think about bending the bar around your legs to keep the weight close to your center of mass.

Breathing & tempo: Take a full breath and brace your core before the bar leaves the floor, hold that brace through the lowering phase, and exhale as you drive your hips through at the top. A controlled 3–1–1 tempo (3s lowering, 1s pause near your range limit, 1s standing up) keeps tension on the hamstrings and discourages bouncing off the floor.

How should you warm up for the stiff-leg deadlift?

Groove the hip-hinge pattern first with a few sets of bodyweight good mornings or a light dowel hinge, then ramp the bar up in 2–3 sets — for example an empty bar for 10 reps, then 50% and 70% of your working weight for 5–6 reps each — pausing at your usual range each time to confirm your lower back stays flat before you add your working load.

What are the most common stiff-leg deadlift mistakes?

• Bending the knees like a conventional deadlift — Unlock the knees once at the start and hold that exact bend the whole set — the 'stiffness' is what shifts the load onto the hamstrings instead of the quads.
• Rounding the lower back to reach the floor — Stop the descent at the point where your spine starts to round, even if that's above the floor. Your hamstring flexibility, not the floor, should decide your range.
• Letting the bar drift away from the legs — Keep the bar in contact with your shins and thighs throughout by actively pulling your shoulder blades back and engaging your lats.
• Hyperextending the lower back at lockout — Stand tall with hips fully extended and stop there — don't lean back or thrust your hips forward past neutral to 'finish' the rep.
• Loading it as heavy as a conventional deadlift — The stiff-leg deadlift is more technically demanding on the lower back and hamstrings than the conventional pull, so load it lighter — most lifters use roughly 75–85% of their conventional deadlift weight — and add load gradually.

Why does the stiff-leg deadlift hurt — and how do you fix it?

Pain in the wrong place during the stiff-leg deadlift usually points to a range-of-motion or bracing problem rather than a reason to avoid the movement entirely. Match your symptom to the fix below, and stop and see a professional if pain is sharp, radiating, or persistent.

How many sets and reps should you do?

Choose your sets and reps by goal: heavier and fewer reps for strength, moderate for muscle size, lighter and higher for endurance.

RPE / RIR: Because the stiff-leg deadlift is technically demanding on the lower back, keep most working sets at RPE 6–8 (2–4 reps in reserve) rather than training it to failure. Save your heaviest effort for your main deadlift or squat, and let the stiff-leg deadlift build volume and range of motion instead of chasing a new top single.

Program the stiff-leg deadlift as accessory work after your main squat or deadlift for the day, while you can still hold a strong hip-hinge position with a fresh lower back. Progress it primarily by adding reps within your target range and increasing your range of motion as hamstring flexibility improves, then add small load jumps once both are consistent.

How often should you stiff-leg deadlift and where does it fit?

Train the Stiff-Leg Deadlift 1-2 sessions per week, placing it after your main squat or deadlift, while you can still hold a strong hip hinge and a fresh lower back.

• Frequency: 1-2 sessions per week
• Best split days: Leg day, Pull day (Push/Pull/Legs), Posterior-chain / hamstring-focused day
• Where to place it: After your main squat or deadlift, while you can still hold a strong hip hinge and a fresh lower back

Because it loads the lower back and hamstrings in a deep stretch, most lifters get better results from one or two focused stiff-leg deadlift sessions per week than from doing it heavy every session.

How do you progress the stiff-leg deadlift?

Add reps within your target range before adding weight, and let your hamstring flexibility — not your ego — decide how close to the floor you go. Pairing the stiff-leg deadlift with dedicated hamstring stretching over several weeks lets most lifters gradually work toward a deeper, fuller range without rounding the lower back.

What's the right range of motion?

Range of motion on the stiff-leg deadlift should be set by your hamstring flexibility and your ability to keep a flat lower back, not by a rule that the bar must touch the floor. Many lifters stop a few centimeters above the floor at first and gradually work deeper over weeks as flexibility improves; going lower than your spine can control is not a sign of a better rep, it's a sign to shorten the range.

What are the benefits of the stiff-leg deadlift?

• Builds hamstring and glute size and strength through a long, deeply stretched range of motion
• Trains the hip-hinge pattern and lower-back strength that carry over directly to the conventional deadlift
• Improves hamstring flexibility over time by loading the muscle in a lengthened position
• A simple barbell movement that's easy to load in small increments and track over time

Who should do it: Bodybuilders chasing hamstring and glute hypertrophy, powerlifters and general lifters using it as posterior-chain accessory work for their main deadlift, and anyone working to improve hip-hinge mechanics and hamstring flexibility under load. Lifters with limited hamstring flexibility, a history of lower-back pain, or who haven't yet grooved a consistent hip-hinge pattern should start with a shorter range of motion, a lighter implement, or a Romanian deadlift instead.

Is the stiff-leg deadlift safe?

The stiff-leg deadlift is safe for most lifters with adequate hamstring flexibility and a hip-hinge pattern they can control, when the range of motion is matched to what the lower back can hold in a neutral position. Most of its risk comes from forcing depth the hamstrings and spine aren't ready for, not from the exercise itself.

Limited hamstring flexibility

Stop the descent well above the floor, use a lighter dumbbell version, or substitute a Romanian deadlift while you build flexibility with dedicated stretching over several weeks.

A history of lower-back pain

Reduce range of motion and load, prioritize a flat spine over depth, and consider a cable pull-through or Romanian deadlift until you can hold a neutral spine confidently through a full set.

New to the hip-hinge pattern

Groove the pattern first with a dowel or empty bar and light loads before adding weight — a stiff-leg deadlift with poor hinge mechanics is mostly lower-back strain.

Spotting: No spotter is needed for the stiff-leg deadlift since it's not a failure-prone pressing or squatting movement — if your form breaks down, simply set the bar down under control rather than fighting to finish the rep.

How do grip and stance change the stiff-leg deadlift?

• Double overhand grip: The standard, safest grip; may become the limiting factor before your hamstrings and back on your heaviest sets.
• Mixed grip (one hand over, one under): Lets you hold heavier loads without straps, at the cost of slightly asymmetric torque on the spine — alternate which hand is under each set.
• Lifting straps: Removes grip as the limiting factor so your hamstrings, glutes and lower back reach fatigue first, which is useful for higher-rep hypertrophy work.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift variations

How does the stiff-leg deadlift compare?

Stiff-Leg Deadlift vs. Romanian Deadlift

The stiff-leg deadlift starts and ends with the bar on the floor and keeps the legs almost fully straight, giving it a longer range of motion and a bigger demand on hamstring flexibility. The Romanian deadlift starts standing, never touches the floor between reps, and keeps a slight, constant knee bend, which shortens the range and is generally easier on the lower back. EMG research shows the stiff-leg deadlift biases the glutes more, while the Romanian deadlift biases the hamstrings — specifically the semitendinosus — more.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift vs. Conventional Deadlift

The conventional deadlift bends the knees substantially and uses the quadriceps as a major driver, making it a full-body maximal-strength lift that's typically loaded far heavier. The stiff-leg deadlift removes most of the knee bend and the quad contribution, isolating the hip-hinge portion of the pull to build hamstring, glute and lower-back size and strength — it's an accessory to the deadlift, not a replacement for it.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift alternatives

Estimate your stiff-leg deadlift 1RM

Enter a weight and the reps you hit with it to estimate your one-rep max (Epley formula), then see your training percentages.

How many calories does the stiff-leg deadlift burn?

Calories depend on your bodyweight and how hard you train. Resistance training has a MET value of about 6. Enter your bodyweight and minutes to estimate the burn (calories = MET × kg × 3.5 ÷ 200 × minutes).

Stiff-Leg Deadlift strength standards

Approximate stiff-leg deadlift one-rep-max as a multiple of bodyweight, estimated from general hip-hinge strength data and its typical loading relative to the conventional deadlift rather than a single published stiff-leg-deadlift-specific database. Treat these as motivating benchmarks, not exact targets — hamstring flexibility, leverages and training history vary widely.

By age: Expect peak hip-hinge strength roughly in your 20s-30s. As a rough guide, lifters in their 40s can aim for about 90% of these numbers, 50s about 80%, and 60s+ about 65-70%, adjusting for training age and joint health.

What counts as a good rep?

A stiff-leg deadlift rep counts when you lower the bar under control with the knees held at a small, constant bend and the lower back staying neutral, then stand back up by fully extending the hips without hyperextending the spine at the top. The bar should stay close to the legs throughout, and the range of motion should stop wherever your flexibility allows a flat back, not necessarily at the floor.

References

1. Coratella G, Tornatore G, Longo S, Esposito F, Cè E. An Electromyographic Analysis of Romanian, Step-Romanian, and Stiff-Leg Deadlift: Implication for Resistance Training. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health (PMC), 2022
2. McCurdy K, Walker J, Yuen D. Gluteus Maximus and Hamstring Activation During Selected Weight-Bearing Resistance Exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2018
3. How to Do Stiff-Leg Deadlift: Muscles Worked & Proper Form. StrengthLog
4. RDL vs Stiff Leg Deadlift: Details, Cues, and Programming. Barbell Logic
5. Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift — exercise technique and muscle analysis. ExRx.net
6. Hamstring Injury: Recovery Time, Treatment & Symptoms. Cleveland Clinic
7. Exercise Progressions for Resuming Strength Training Following Posterior Chain Muscle Injury. NSCA Coach, National Strength and Conditioning Association
8. Deadlift vs. Romanian Deadlift: Comparisons, Benefits, and Precautions. Healthline