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legs

Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift

A stiff-leg deadlift holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.

beginnerdumbbells

Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift, start position
START
Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Pick a pair of dumbbells you can hold for the whole set.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing your legs.
  3. Bend your knees very slightly and tighten your stomach.

Check: You are standing tall with the dumbbells against your thighs and a slight bend in your knees.

Hinge down

  1. Push your hips back and let the dumbbells slide down your legs, keeping your legs almost straight.
  2. Keep your back flat and your chest up the whole way down.
  3. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in the back of your thighs.

Check: Your back is flat, your knees are only slightly bent, and the weight is close to your shins with a stretch in the back of your thighs.

Stand up

  1. Drive your hips forward to stand back up, keeping the weight close.
  2. Squeeze your buttocks at the top.

Check: You are standing tall again with the dumbbells against your thighs.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set.

Breathe in and brace before you lower; lower for 2 to 3 seconds; breathe out as you stand up.

MUSCLES WORKED
Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift: muscles worked, front view
Dumbbell Stiff-Leg Deadlift: muscles worked, back view

hamstringsgluteslower back

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Rounding the back to get lower. Loads the spine. Fix: Stop where your back starts to round; flexibility improves over time.
  • Bending the knees a lot, turning it into a regular deadlift. Fix: Keep a slight, fixed bend in the knees.
  • Weight drifting away from the legs. Fix: Keep it brushing your thighs and shins.
SAFETY1
  • Keep your back flat for every rep.
RELATED EXERCISES

harder: barbell stiff leg deadlift

variants: dumbbell deadlift, single leg bodyweight deadlift

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