The Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlifts is a intermediate-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the glutes and hamstrings, with the abdominals working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesGlutes, Hamstrings
Secondary musclesAbs
EquipmentBarbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlifts
Stand with feet hip-width apart and grip the bar just outside the knees with arms extended.
Stand tall holding the bar at the hips, then unlock the knees with a small soft bend.
Push the hips back and lower the bar down the legs by hinging at the hips, keeping the back flat.
Continue lowering until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings, with the bar staying close to the legs.
Drive the hips forward and squeeze the glutes hard to stand back up to the starting position.
Lock out the hips at the top with a tall chest, reset your breath, and repeat for clean reps.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds hamstring size and strength through a deep loaded stretch.
Develops glute strength at the lockout for full hip-drive power.
Reinforces clean hinge mechanics that carry over to deadlifts.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Locking the knees fully straight, which turns the lift into a back-stress machine instead of a hamstring builder.
Rounding the lower back at the bottom, which loads the spine instead of stretching the hamstrings.
Letting the bar drift away from the legs, which crushes the lower back at the bottom range.
Bending the knees too much, which turns the lift back into a regular deadlift.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlifts, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
