10 Best Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift Alternatives for Hamstring Strength

Ranked Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   

   1. Stiff-legged Barbell Deadlift

   96% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Grasp a bar using an overhand grip (palms facing down). You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
   2. 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.
   3. Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the hips 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. Inhale as you perform this movement.
   4. Start bringing your torso up straight again by extending your hips until you are back at the starting position. Exhale as you perform this movement.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
2. 

   2. Reverse Band Deadlift

   92% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Set the bar up in a power rack. Attach bands to the top of the rack, using either bands pegs or the frame itself. Attach the other end of the bands to the bar.
   2. Approach the bar so that it is centered over your feet. You feet should be about hip width apart. Bend at the hip to grip the bar at shoulder width, allowing your shoulder blades to protract. Typically, you would use an overhand grip or an over/under grip on heavier sets.
   3. With your feet, and your grip set, take a big breath and then lower your hips and bend the knees until your shins contact the bar. Look forward with your head, keep your chest up and your back arched, and begin driving through the heels to move the weight upward.
   4. After the bar passes the knees, aggressively pull the bar back, pulling your shoulder blades together as you drive your hips forward into the bar.
   5. Lower the bar by bending at the hips and guiding it to the floor.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
3. 

   3. Sumo Deadlift

   92% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
   2. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
   3. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
   4. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
4. 

   4. Sumo Deadlift With Bands

   92% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. To deadlift with short bands, simply loop them over the bar before you start, and step into them to set up. Ensure that they under the back half of your foot, directly where you are driving into the floor.
   2. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip.
   3. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
   4. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
   5. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
5. 

   5. Sumo Deadlift With Chains

   92% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. You can attach the chains to the sleeves of the bar, or just drape the middle over the bar so there is a greater weight increase as you lift. Attempt to keep the ends of the chains away from the plates so you don't hit them when you lower the weight.
   2. Begin with a bar loaded on the ground. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
   3. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
   4. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
   5. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
6. 

   6. Clean Deadlift

   91% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin standing with a barbell close to your shins. Your feet should be directly under your hips with your feet turned out slightly. Grip the bar with a double overhand grip or hook grip, about shoulder width apart. Squat down to the bar. Your spine should be in full extension, with a back angle that places your shoulders in front of the bar and your back as vertical as possible.
   2. Begin by driving through the floor through the front of your heels. As the bar travels upward, maintain a constant back angle. Flare your knees out to the side to help keep them out of the bar's path.
   3. After the bar crosses the knees, complete the lift by driving the hips into the bar until your hips and knees are extended.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
7. 

   7. Reverse Band Sumo Deadlift

   91% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin with a bar loaded on the floor inside of a power rack. Attach bands to the top of the rack, using either pegs or the frame itself. Attach the other end to the barbell.
   2. Approach the bar so that the bar intersects the middle of the feet. The feet should be set very wide, near the collars. Bend at the hips to grip the bar. The arms should be directly below the shoulders, inside the legs, and you can use a pronated grip, a mixed grip, or hook grip. Relax the shoulders, which in effect lengthens your arms.
   3. Take a breath, and then lower your hips, looking forward with your head with your chest up. Drive through the floor, spreading your feet apart, with your weight on the back half of your feet. Extend through the hips and knees.
   4. As the bar passes through the knees, lean back and drive the hips into the bar, pulling your shoulder blades together.
   5. Return the weight to the ground by bending at the hips and controlling the weight on the way down.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
8. 

   8. Snatch Deadlift

   91% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. The snatch deadlift strengthens the first pull of the snatch. Begin with a wide snatch grip with the barbell placed on the platform. The feet should be directly under the hips, with the feet turned out. Squat down to the bar, keeping the back in absolute extension with the head facing forward.
   2. Initiate the movement by driving through the heels, raising the hips. The back angle should remain the same until the bar passes the knees.
   3. At that point, drive your hips through the bar as you lay back. Return the bar to the platform by reversing the motion.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
9. 

   9. Good Morning

   85% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Begin with a bar on a rack at shoulder height. Rack the bar across the rear of your shoulders as you would a power squat, not on top of your shoulders. Keep your back tight, shoulder blades pinched together, and your knees slightly bent. Step back from the rack.
   2. Begin by bending at the hips, moving them back as you bend over to near parallel. Keep your back arched and your cervical spine in proper alignment.
   3. Reverse the motion by extending through the hips with your glutes and hamstrings. Continue until you have returned to the starting position.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
   • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
10. 

    10. Romanian Deadlift

    85% match

    • Hamstrings
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Put a barbell in front of you on the ground and grab it using a pronated (palms facing down) grip that a little wider than shoulder width. Tip: Depending on the weight used, you may need wrist wraps to perform the exercise and also a raised platform in order to allow for better range of motion.
    2. Bend the knees slightly and keep the shins vertical, hips back and back straight. This will be your starting position.
    3. Keeping your back and arms completely straight at all times, use your hips to lift the bar as you exhale. Tip: The movement should not be fast but steady and under control.
    4. Once you are standing completely straight up, lower the bar by pushing the hips back, only slightly bending the knees, unlike when squatting. Tip: Take a deep breath at the start of the movement and keep your chest up. Hold your breath as you lower and exhale as you complete the movement.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift