The stiff leg deadlift, also called the Romanian deadlift, is a weightlifting exercise that isolates specific muscles in your thighs and back. This isolation allows for greater and quicker muscle growth in those areas. Use a barbell, dumbbells or pulley cables to perform variations of the stiff leg deadlift -- the action for all variations remains the same.
Targeted Muscles
The muscles engaged while performing the stiff leg deadlift are primarily in your back, hips and legs. The erector spinae are long bands of muscle that bracket the spinal cord. They contract when the spine is straightened. The hamstrings run along the backs of the thighs and contract when the feet are drawn toward the buttocks. The gluteal muscles are located in the buttocks and hip area, and are contracted when pulling the hips forward. Because you keep the legs straight during the exercise, the quadriceps on the front of your thighs are only minimally engaged.
Free Weight Deadlift
Stand on a step or other short platform with feet hip-distance apart. Hold the barbell in front of your hips with straight arms. Bend at the hips, keeping the waist straight and extending the hips backwards to lower the weight to your feet. Keep the arms straight and your head up. Reverse the movement until you are fully upright again. Use dumbbells instead of a barbell for a variation.
Machine-assisted Deadlift
Stand facing a Smith machine with your feet hip-distance apart. With knees slightly bent, bend at the waist and push your hips out until you can grasp the barbell in front of you. While holding the bar, shift your hips forward and straighten up. Be sure to keep your arms and back straight with your chest up. Reverse the movement to lower the bar.
Cable Deadlift
Stand between two pulleys that are set to rise from the floor. Squat with your feet hip-distance apart and grab the stirrups on either side of you. Straighten up. Keep the legs and arms straight as you bend forward at the waist with hips extended backward until the stirrups reach their lowest position. Reverse the movement to straighten your body upright again.
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