Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

Description

How to Do Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, with the barbell positioned over your mid-foot. Your shins should be close to the bar.

2. 2
   Setup

   Hinge at your hips, maintaining a slight, consistent bend in your knees, to grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Ensure your back is straight, chest up, and shoulders pulled back.

3. 3

   Initiate the lift by driving through your heels and extending your hips, pulling the barbell upwards while keeping it close to your shins and thighs. Maintain a rigid, neutral spine and engaged core throughout the movement.

4. 4

   Continue extending your hips until you are standing tall, squeezing your glutes at the top without hyperextending your lower back. Avoid shrugging your shoulders at the peak.

5. 5

   Slowly reverse the movement by hinging at your hips, pushing your glutes back as the barbell descends along your thighs and shins. Keep your chest up and maintain the slight bend in your knees.

6. 6

   Control the descent until the barbell reaches just below your knees or mid-shin, feeling a deep stretch in your hamstrings. Do not lower the bar to the floor unless you can maintain perfect form; stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched.

Tips

• Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement by keeping your core braced and avoiding any rounding or excessive arching of the lower back.
• Focus on the hip hinge: initiate the movement by pushing your hips back as if reaching for a wall behind you, rather than just bending forward at the waist.
• Keep the barbell close to your body, almost dragging it along your thighs and shins, to maintain optimal leverage and reduce unnecessary stress on your lower back.
• Control the eccentric (lowering) phase to maximize hamstring stretch and engagement, stopping just before your hamstrings lose tension or your form begins to break.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rounding the lower back during the lift can lead to serious injury; fix this by engaging your core and maintaining a rigid, neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.
• ×Bending the knees too much turns this into a conventional deadlift and reduces hamstring focus; fix this by keeping only a slight, consistent bend in your knees to emphasize hamstring and glute activation.
• ×Letting the bar drift too far away from the body increases leverage on the lower back; fix this by actively pulling the bar into your body and keeping it close to your shins and thighs.