Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Hinge · hamstrings · intermediate
Start
FinishHow to do it
Hold dumbbells in front of the thighs with the knees held almost straight, then hinge the hips back and lower the weights down the legs until the hamstrings are fully stretched, and stand by squeezing the glutes.
Muscles worked
Primary: hamstrings · Also works: glutes, lower back
Equipment
Dumbbells
Common mistakes
- Chasing depth past the point where the hamstrings stop lengthening, which is where the spine starts rounding
- Letting the dumbbells drift away from the legs, which multiplies the load on the lower back
- Bouncing out of the bottom instead of pausing and reversing under control
Variations
- Stand on a low platform for extra range once the basic version is clean
- Three-second eccentric
Can't do this one? Swap it for
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- Barbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift
- Barbell Romanian Deadlift
- Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
Take care: ABROFIT automatically removes this movement for anyone who has flagged a lower back problem. If that's you, use one of the swaps above and speak to a physio before loading it.
Related exercises
- Conventional Deadlifthamstrings
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifthamstrings
- Downward-Facing Doghamstrings
- Seated Forward Foldhamstrings
- Lying Leg Curlhamstrings
- Nordic Hamstring Curlhamstrings
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