Hamstring Exercises – The Stiff-Legged Deadlift

WARNING! – The stiff-legged deadlift (SLDL) is a terrific exercise for developing the hamstrings, lower back and glutes (your butt). Because of the involvement of the lower back, proper form MUST be used. Failure to do so could result in injury. If you have a serious back injury, do not perform the SLDL. If you are currently receiving treatment for a lower back issue or if you are experiencing severe lower back pain, refrain from performing the SLDL.

In my opinion, the stiff-legged deadlift, also known as the Romanian deadlift, is pound-for-pound the absolute best exercise a person can do. Why?

It works the large chain of muscles that runs from the top of the back down along the spine known as the spinal erectors. It strengthens the lower back and is a tremendous hamstring exercise. This exercise can single-handedly “bullet proof” the back side of your body.

I will say it’s not the easiest exercise to learn or master. But if you stick with it, you will be richly rewarded.

The Set-Up

• Begin standing with feet shoulder width apart and facing straight ahead.
• Hold the weight in-front of your thighs with your palms facing your body.
• (Many people mistakenly believe because it’s called a stiff-legged deadlift that it should be performed with straight legs. Not so.)
• Bend your knees slightly and keep them bent, yet stiff throughout the movement. This means the knees do not flex or bend once the movement has begun. Maintain the same amount of bend throughout the movement.
• Make sure your upper back is flat and your lower back has a natural arch to it.
• Pull the shoulder blades back, look straight ahead, then start the movement.

Performing The SLDL

• Slide your hips straight back, pushing your butt out behind you.
• At the same time your hips are moving back, lower your upper body towards the floor.
• Keep the weight in close to the thighs as you descend. (If the weight moves away from the body, you will experience more stress on the lower back.)
• Keep your head up (A). This will help keep your back flat and in the proper position (B).
• Be sure the knees remain slightly bent as you move the hips back (C).
• Notice how the hips are well behind the heels of the feet (D). Shifting the weight onto your heels protects the lower back by putting the load on the hamstrings.
• If you find your toes lifting right off the ground, shift your weight just slightly forward so as not to fall backwards.
• Stop the movement when your hand reaches a point just below the kneecap.
• Immediately return to the starting position by pulling your hips forward and your body upwards. Do not pause at the bottom of the movement.
• Stop when your body is vertical.

Performance Tips

• Your breathing is particularly important during this exercise. Be sure to breathe in as you lower the weight towards the floor. Hold your breath as you hit the bottom and begin to move your body back to the starting position. Holding your breath provides your back with added support.
• As you near the top of the movement, exhale.
• Once the movement begins, do not flex or bend the knees. They should remain slightly bent throughout the movement, but the knees don’t move. They remain stiff. The movement takes place mainly through the hips.
• The biggest mistake people make when performing this exercise is bending over at the waist without moving the hips back. Instead of being supported by the large hamstring muscles, the weight is now placed almost entirely on the lower spine. Needless to say, this puts your back at great risk for injury.
• Another common mistake made is to take the weights all the way to the floor. Due to inflexibility, most people will find that their legs straighten out and their back rounds over. Again, the stress placed on the lower back is tremendous. Making this mistake could prove very costly.
• Keep the knees slightly bent throughout the movement and move the hips back, placing the weight mainly on your heels as you lower the weights to the floor.
• Look forward at all times. Do not turn your head to the side while performing the exercise. Doing so may cause an injury to your neck or back.
• Perform the exercise slowly and deliberately. Do not bounce or jerk your body at any point of the movement.
• During the descent, to protect your lower back, keep your weight back on the heels. Do not let your weight shift forward onto the toes. If you find the your weight on the toes when at the bottom position of the exercise, you are performing it incorrectly.
• Do not place more weight on one side or the other. This will result in a corkscrewing motion as you go through the exercise and could result in injury.
• If you have a long torso in relation to your height, you may need to bend your knees more than shown here and use a wider stance in order to maintain a flat back.
• Keep the weight in close to your body. Moving it away from you increases the stress on the lower back.
• Do not relax at the bottom of the movement. Keep your legs, back and abdominals tight as you begin the ascent.
• Because of the lower-back involvement in this exercise, never push yourself to the point of muscular failure. Stop just short of failure.
• If you are unable to reach your knees with your hands, go as far as you can without your lower back rounding over. As you perform this exercise, your hamstrings will become more flexible, allowing your to eventually reach your knees.
• With that said however, do not go farther than half way down the shins. For most people, going down to the point where the hands are just below the knees is far enough.
• Begin with light weight or even better, no weight until you can perform the exercise with very good form with no rounding of the back. Then gradually move the weight up.
• If possible, choose shoes with very little cushioning in the soles to perform this exercise and do not stand on thick carpeting. You want to perform this exercise on a firm surface. Using shoes that are too cushioned or standing on thick carpeting may cause your body to shift during the exercise causing injury.