Setup
Stand with feet hip-width apart, barbell over midfoot. Grip the bar just outside your legs with arms straight, hinge at hips to grasp it while keeping your knees nearly straight with just a slight bend.
How to do it
- Push your hips back while maintaining a flat back and keeping the bar close to your legs.
- Lower the bar until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, typically mid-shin to just below the knees.
- Drive your hips forward to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Keep your shoulders pulled back and core braced throughout the entire movement.
- Maintain the slight knee bend throughout - don't lock out or squat the weight.
Watch out for
- ✗Rounding the lower back by going too deep beyond hamstring flexibility limits.
- ✗Bending the knees too much, turning it into a regular deadlift instead of emphasizing the hamstrings.
- ✗Letting the bar drift away from the body, which strains the lower back unnecessarily.