barbell straight leg deadlift: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of barbell straight leg deadlift

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
Step:2 Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Step:3 Bend at your hips and lower the barbell towards the ground, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
Step:4 Lower the barbell until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
Step:5 Engage your hamstrings and glutes to lift the barbell back up to the starting position.
Step:6 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Barbell Olympic barbell
Body part: Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Hamstrings Gluteus maximus
Secondary muscle: Lower back Calves Adductors

Hypertrophy grade

Good8 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The straight leg deadlift excels for hypertrophy of the hamstrings and glutes, with maximum tension in the stretched position. Its high load on the posterior chain is a strong point, but back stability and flexibility sometimes limit progression, especially compared to more secure machine variants. It is a specialized tool which requires impeccable technique for a very interesting fatigue/stimulus ratio, as long as core stability or the grip do not become limiting.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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barbell straight leg deadlift

How to do this exercise

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