The stiff-leg deadlift is a hip-hinge exercise that trains the hamstrings and glutes through a long stretch, with the bar starting from the floor and the knees held almost straight.
It sits between the other two deadlifts. Unlike the conventional deadlift — a floor-to-lockout strength lift driven by the legs — it keeps the knees stiff and is built around the hamstring stretch. And unlike the Romanian deadlift, which keeps a fixed slight knee bend and stays under tension without touching down, the stiff-leg deadlift uses straighter legs and a larger range of motion, usually returning the bar to the floor each rep. Because the legs stay stiff, load it lighter and prioritise a controlled stretch over heavy weight.
Common questions about form, safety, equipment, and alternatives for this exercise.
The conventional deadlift is a floor-to-lockout strength lift with bent knees that works the whole posterior chain. The Romanian deadlift starts from the top with knees fixed at a slight bend and doesn't reset on the floor — it's hamstring and glute focused. The stiff-leg deadlift keeps the legs nearly straight and travels from the floor each rep for the biggest hamstring stretch.