How to do a Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
Smith Machine
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Romanian Deadlift. Like other Romanian Deadlift variations, this is a compound movement that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. The use of a Smith Machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement. This allows you to focus on exertion, or learning the movement rather than focusing on stability.
- Position your feet roughly shoulder width-apart, or slightly wider, behind the bar.
- Hinge your hips back and lean forward to grasp the bar with both hands such that your palms are facing you. Position the bar against your shins.
- Raise your hips higher than a conventional deadlift such that there is only a slight bend in your knee.
- Engage your back and rear shoulders to “pull the slack out of the bar” and straighten your back. You may need to bend your knees more as your back becomes straight.
- Engage your glutes, hamstrings and lower back to drive you hips forward and raise the bar in a straight line. Keep the bar 1-2 inches away from your shins.
- Keep your core and back engaged to support your lower back, and to keep your spine straight.
- Pause at the top of this movement for a moment.
- Reverse the movement to lower the bar back to the starting position on the ground.
Common Form Mistakes
Overusing the Smith Machine
Smith Machines are great pieces of equipment, however they do hinder your ability to develop smaller stabilizing muscles. Try to work in other variations that require you to stabilize the movement as well.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps50lbs1 Rep Max65lbs
- intermediate8reps65lbs80lbs
- advanced8reps75lbs95lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 5,010 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on Romanian Deadlifts. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. The use of dumbbells can help with some limitations in mobility, and is a great starting point for anyone working towards performing Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts with a barbell.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
2. Seated Leg Curl
98.8 mSCORESWAPPED 4,206 TIMESSeated Leg Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. Because a vast majority of lower body exercises tend to be compound movements, this exercise is a great way to isolate the hamstrings for building muscle mass, and developing strength. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability, allowing you to focus on exertion more than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
3. Deadlift
98.7 mSCORESWAPPED 2,552 TIMESDeadlift is one of the three powerlifting movements. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets muscles in the rear chain (backside of the body), and is great for developing strength in these muscles. It’s a staple in most programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking strength.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
4. Lying Hamstrings Curl
95.8 mSCORESWAPPED 2,400 TIMESLying Hamstring Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. There’s a relatively short list of isolation exercises for lower body muscle groups. Because of this, this is a great addition to a lower body workout in order to build strength and muscle mass in the hamstrings specifically. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
5. Romanian Deadlift
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 1,850 TIMESRomanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Deadlift. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes, and hamstrings. Unlike the standard Deadlift, this variation focuses mostly on driving your hips forward to raise the weight, and restricts movement in your knees. This is a great exercise for building strength, and can translate well to other exercises that utilize a hip hinge.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
6. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift to Shrug
68.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,331 TIMESThe Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift to Shrug combines the hamstring and glute focus of the RDL with upper back strengthening via a shrug. Executing a hip hinge with dumbbells, followed by a shoulder shrug at the top, this exercise effectively targets the posterior chain and traps. It's an efficient way to enhance lower body strength and upper back muscle definition in one movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
7. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift to Bent Over Row
67.9 mSCORESWAPPED 1,180 TIMESThe Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift to Bent Over Row is a compound exercise that effectively targets the posterior chain, including the hamstrings and glutes, followed by the upper back and lats during the rowing component. Beginning with a dumbbell in each hand, you hinge at the hips to lower the dumbbells towards the ground, keeping your back flat. Once in the bent-over position, you perform a row by pulling the dumbbells towards your torso, then return to the standing position. This combination exercise enhances lower body strength and flexibility while simultaneously improving upper body muscle definition and back strength, making it a comprehensive and efficient workout option.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
8. Landmine Romanian Deadlift
70.7 mSCORESWAPPED 1,059 TIMESLandmine Romanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Romanian Deadlift. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound movement that primarily targets the hamstrings and glutes. The use of a landmine can add a small amount of stability to the movement compared to other equipment.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
- Landmine
9. Standing Leg Curl
58.7 mSCORESWAPPED 937 TIMESStanding Leg Curl is an isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. There’s a relatively short list of isolation exercises for lower body muscle groups. Because of this, this is a great addition to a lower body workout in order to build strength and muscle mass in the hamstrings specifically. By performing this exercise with one leg at a time, you prevent the risk of compensating for strength discrepancies between sides. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
10. Romanian Deadlift to Shrug
71.7 mSCORESWAPPED 925 TIMESCombining the Romanian Deadlift with a shrug at the top of the movement targets the posterior chain and then focuses on the traps and upper back. This variation strengthens and stretches the hamstrings and glutes before isolating the traps with a shrug, enhancing overall back strength and posture. Ideal for those looking to improve both lower and upper posterior chain development.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Barbells