Barbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
HamstringsCompoundLegsBarbellIntermediate
Posterior-chain variation with the knees nearly locked, lowering the bar all the way to the floor. Unlike the Romanian, it prioritizes maximum hamstring stretch through a full range.
Visual guide
Reference photo — start and end of the movement.
How to perform
- 1.Stand with the bar over midfoot and a shoulder-width grip.
- 2.Keep your knees almost straight and fixed throughout the movement.
- 3.Hinge from the hips, lowering the bar close to your legs down to the floor.
- 4.Feel the hamstring stretch at the bottom.
- 5.Extend your hips to return to the start.
Common mistakes
- ●Confusing it with the Romanian and bending the knees
- ●Rounding the lower back chasing extra range
- ●Letting the bar drift away from the body
- ●Hyperextending the hips at the top
Proper technique
Key difference from the Romanian: here the knees stay nearly locked and the bar descends to the floor, not to mid-shin. Back always neutral; if you lose the lumbar curve, shorten the range. A hip-hinge-dominated movement.
Variants
Other exercises that work the same primary muscle.
muscle map
primary
secondary
Primary
- Hamstrings
- Gluteus maximus
Secondary
- Spinal erectors
- Core
- Adductors