Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift

Hamstrings
Glutes
Glutes
Lower Back

Equipment: Dumbbell

New to this

Your first stiff-legged dumbbell deadlift

What weight should I start with on the stiff-legged dumbbell deadlift?

Start with 20 to 25 lb dumbbells. The weight matters less than the hinge here, and going heavy early is the fastest way to round your back.

You have got it right if you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings at the bottom and nothing in your lower back.

What usually goes wrong on the stiff-legged dumbbell deadlift?

Stand with feet hip-width, dumbbells in front of your thighs, knees slightly bent. Push your hips back and let the dumbbells travel down along your legs.

Keep the knees at that same slight bend the whole time: they do not straighten and they do not bend further. Stop when you feel the hamstrings stretch, usually around mid shin, then drive your hips forward to stand up and squeeze your glutes at the top.

Most common mistake: bending at the waist with a rounded back instead of pushing the hips back. Set up 6 inches from a wall with your back to it and practice touching the wall with your hips.

If the dumbbells you need are gone

Back extensions train the same hip hinge with bodyweight and a supported torso, which makes a flat back easier to keep. The Romanian deadlift is the barbell version and loads heavier once your form holds up. The seated hamstring curl is a different way into the same muscle, useful when your lower back is already worked.

How to do it

Grasp a couple of dumbbells holding them by your side at arm's length.
Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
Keeping the knees stationary, lower the dumbbells to over the top of your feet by bending at the waist while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Exhale as you perform this movement
Start bringing your torso up straight again by extending your hips and waist until you are back at the starting position. Inhale as you perform this movement.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.