Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift

Also called dumbbell RDL, dumbbell Romanian deadlift and DB RDL.

Works

Hamstrings, plus glutes and lower back

Equipment

Dumbbells

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Grasp a couple of dumbbells holding them by your side at arm's length.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Cues

• Soft knees, hips back.
• Dumbbells slide down the thighs.
• Stop at the hamstring stretch, stand with the glutes.

Common mistakes

• Rounding at the bottom.
• Squatting it.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a cranky lower back. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.