Legs · Barbell
Barbell Straight Leg Deadlift
How to do the barbell straight leg deadlift, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip and your feet hip-width apart. Keeping your legs nearly straight with only a soft bend in the knees, hinge at your hips and lower the bar down the front of your legs. Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to standing.
- 1Feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings as you hinge and lower the bar
- 2Keep your back flat and the bar close to your legs throughout
- 3Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to stand tall
Common mistakes
- Avoid rounding your lower back; hinge from the hips with a flat spine
- Don't bend your knees deeply; keep them nearly straight
- Don't let the bar drift away from your body
Muscles worked
The barbell straight leg deadlift mainly works the hamstrings, lower back, and glutes, with the forearms, upper traps, and upper abs assisting.
- HamstringsPrimary
- Lower BackPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- LatsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- CalvesMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell straight leg deadlift for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More hamstrings exercises
- How to do the deficit rdl
- How to do the leg curl
- How to do the dumbbell rdl
- How to do the glute ham raise
- How to do the jefferson curl
- How to do the leg swings
Last reviewed June 2026.