Barbell Stiff Leg Deadlift

Directions:

Preperation/body position

1. Load bar with correct weight. Put on safety collars.
2. Stand with feet underneath bar, at shoulder width.
3. Bend knees and squat down.
4. Grasp bar with a wide overhand or mixed grip.
5. Extend hips and knees to lift weight, whilst keeping torso erect and back straight.
6. Keep bar close to body throughout movement, so not to pull yourself forward excessively.
7. Alternatively, the bar can be placed on a low rack so that it does not have to be lifted off the floor.

Excution/Movement

1. Whilst keeping good body posture, and a fixed bend in the knees, lower bar towards your feet by bending at the hip.
2. Once sufficient depth is reached, return back to starting position by extending at the hip.
3. Repeat for desired amount of repetitions.

Comments

The stiff leg deadlift is an effective exercise to stress the hamstring muscles. The stiff leg version of the deadlift will place more emphasis on the hamstring compared to that of the normal deadlifts. This is because the hamstring recruitment is limited with deadlifts, as the knees are bent greatly during hip extension, thus causing them to be in a mechanically weak position. The stiff leg variation of the deadlift places the body in a greater position for the hamstrings to be in mechanical advantageous situation.

Due to the nature of the exercise, care should be taken to perform the exercise under perfect form. Knees should remain fixed in a slightly bent position, good body posture maintained, and no bouncing at the bottom or top of the movement, which can be injurious.

For hypertrophy 6-12 reps will likely yield the best results, providing optimal time under tension. This will provide adequate stimulation for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and acute response to anabolic hormone concentrations, compared to that of lower rep ranges.
For strength and power 1-5 reps is optimal for stimulating the type iiB fibres and neural adaptations of the nervous system.