Stiff-Legged Deadlift Form Check

Hi Chris,

Here’s a video of me doing stiff legged Deadlifts for your BDW (my buddy only managed to film the first part of the set without the rest pause part), I would like to hear your feedback.

I feel it okay in my back and I get a strong glute pump, but not very much in my hamstrings.

Am I doing anything wrong?

Thank you.

Form looks solid to me. I too have difficulties to feel the stretch in the hammies, I’m 6’1 with long legs and I am quite flexible.

  1. Do you feel the stretch when you go lighter?

  2. Elevate the front of your feet, this will stretch more your hamstrings

  3. Try to go deeper if you can, as long as your back doesn’t round. Some very flexible people (Lee Boyce) do this exercise on a deficit to reach their depth…

I haven’t looked at the video yet, but the thing I will say is to drop the mixed grip, it can do a lot more harm than good. Use a mixed grip only if you are a powerlifter who is competing, and only during the heavy training cycles.

100% that would be my recommendation.

If you have good hamstrings flexibility you might not feel a stretch, doesn’t mean it’s not working

I had been using a normal overhand grip up until last week, when the weight got a little heavier and I found my grip to be the weak point versus my hamstrings and glutes (and you really don’t want to be held back by grip when you have to go to failure).

I haven’t yet read the articles you linked but I’m about to. I should probably look into the hook grip, but I’m sure those articles will provide an alternative so I’ll post back once I read them.

Let me know if you spot other mistakes after watching the video when you have time to.

Thank you

Either a hook grip or straps. If you are training only for a better physique, using straps for your heavy sets is fine

2 Likes

Yes you’re right, but sometimes it is frustrating to not feel it there!

I second the coach on not using a mixed grip. Personally it led me to imbalances. Hook grip changed my life. It just sucked for 3 weeks then a new realm of wonders opened…

Mayb lock knees fully throughout or at least lock in the angle you start with. You can see at the bottom your knees bend a bit and this is probably taking away from the stretch in your hammies.

And go even lower. You must be pretty damn flexible if you aren’t feeling a stretch in the hamstrings but you aint touching the plates to the floor yet.

I’m not really a fan of truly straightened legs, that’s why I’m a bigger fan of RDLs. I much prefer to elevate THE FRONT of the feet (on a 5lbs plate) to increase the hamstrings stretch.

I agree with going lower, provided that he is not compensating with a trunk flexion