How Much Weight Do You Use For Stiff Leg Deadlifts?

The amount of weight you use for a stiff-legged deadlift depends on your strength levels and your goals. If your goal involves improving your heavy squat, train with heavier weights and lower repetitions. If your goal revolves around building your hamstrings and lower back, use slightly lighter weight but increase your training volume. Never use a weight that causes your back to round or compromises your technique. Consult a health-care practitioner before beginning any strength-training program.

Technique

Before worrying about weight, develop good technique. Grip the barbell with your hands just wider than your legs. Keep your feet flat on the ground and your weight on your heels. Bend your knees slightly and arch your back. Lower the bar by bending only at the hips -- do not break at the knees or fold forward. Proper technique remains one reason why the stiff-legged deadlift develops hamstrings more than other exercises, including the squat, according to a 1999 study published in "The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research."

Weights

If your goal involves building muscle, use a weight heavy enough that will stress your hamstrings. Light weights will not stress your legs' larger muscle fibers. Even if you do many high-repetition sets, without enough weight, you will simply build endurance. Training in the eight-to-12 repetition range often provides enough stimuli for hamstring development. Select a weight that allows you to train in this range without compromising your technique.

Power

To build power to assist your squat and deadlift, train in a slightly lower repetition range. Five-repetition sets work well for developing power. By using a weight that you struggle with to complete five repetitions -- with good technique -- you will build muscle and will heavily stress the larger muscle fibers that generate power. Before training with a weight this heavy, ensure you have spent time developing your technique by training with lighter weights that are easier to control.

Range of Motion

If you are extremely flexible and wish to train your hamstrings through a greater range of motion, stand on a small box. This allows you to lower the barbell until it just brushes the top of your feet. You must be able to maintain an arched-back position throughout the lift, and the greater range of motion means that you must use a lighter weight than any other type of stiff-legged deadlift.