Description
A strength exercise that targets the hamstrings and lower back by lifting a barbell while keeping the legs stiff and bending at the hips.
How to Do Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift on Bench
- 1Setup
Place a barbell on the floor in front of a flat bench. Sit on the edge of the bench with your feet flat on the floor, slightly wider than hip-width apart.
- 2Setup
Hinge forward at your hips with a neutral spine to grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Ensure your shoulders are directly over the bar.
- 3
Brace your core, lift the barbell by extending your hips and standing up, keeping your legs mostly straight but with a slight bend in the knees. This is your starting position.
- 4
Slowly lower the barbell by hinging at your hips, pushing your glutes backward, and maintaining a neutral spine. Keep the bar close to your shins as you descend.
- 5
Continue lowering until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings or until the barbell lightly touches the floor, whichever comes first, ensuring your back remains straight.
- 6
Engage your glutes and hamstrings to reverse the movement, pulling the barbell back up to the starting position by extending your hips. Exhale as you stand.
Tips
- Maintain a slight bend in your knees throughout the entire movement to protect your knee joints and keep tension on the hamstrings.
- Focus on pushing your hips backward as you lower the weight, rather than just bending forward, to maximize hamstring and glute engagement.
- Keep the barbell very close to your body throughout the lift, almost scraping your shins and thighs, to maintain balance and leverage.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase for 2-3 seconds to enhance muscle growth and improve flexibility in the hamstrings.
Common Mistakes
- ×Rounding your lower back instead of hinging at the hips puts undue stress on the spine; keep your back straight and chest up by initiating the movement with a hip hinge.
- ×Bending the knees too much converts the exercise into a conventional deadlift, so maintain only a slight knee bend to keep tension primarily on the hamstrings and glutes.
- ×Letting the bar drift too far away from your body compromises leverage and stability; keep the barbell close to your shins and thighs throughout the entire range of motion.
Variations
Barbell Deadlift from Deficit
Perform deficit deadlifts by lifting a barbell from a raised platform, increasing the range of motion for greater lower body and core strength.
Barbell Mixed grip Deadlift
Master the Barbell Mixed Grip Deadlift for superior posterior chain strength. This powerful lift builds glutes, hamstrings, and back.
Barbell Complex Stiff Leg Deadlift Clean Step
Perform a dynamic barbell complex combining a stiff-leg deadlift with a powerful clean step.
Barbell Wide Stance Stiff Leg Deadlift
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