EZ Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and the EZ bar resting against your thighs.
2. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip on the outer angled sections for a more natural wrist position.
3. Pull your shoulder blades back and down, and maintain a slight, fixed bend in your knees.

How to do it

1. Inhale and hinge at the hips, pushing your glutes backward while keeping the bar very close to your legs.
2. Lower the bar until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, typically just below the knees, maintaining a flat back.
3. Exhale and drive your hips forward to return to the starting position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second lowering phase and a powerful 1-second lifting phase.

Form checklist

• Keep the spine neutral and avoid rounding the lower back.
• Ensure the bar stays in contact with or very close to your shins throughout the movement.
• Keep your knees 'soft' (slightly bent) but fixed; do not squat the weight.
• Keep your neck aligned by looking at a spot on the floor a few feet in front of you.

Pro tips

• Imagine you are trying to touch a wall behind you with your glutes to maximize the hinge depth and hamstring tension.
• Focus on 'pulling' with your hamstrings and glutes rather than pulling with your arms or lower back.

Make it harder

• Stand on a weight plate or small platform to create a deficit, increasing the range of motion and stretch.
• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement to increase time under tension in the stretched position.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the ez barbell stiff legged deadlift work?

The ez barbell stiff legged deadlift primarily targets the calves, glutes, and hamstrings, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the ez barbell stiff legged deadlift?

The ez barbell stiff legged deadlift uses ez barbell.

Is the ez barbell stiff legged deadlift good for beginners?

The ez barbell stiff legged deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

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• Barbell Clean PullAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Deadlift 360 DegreesIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius