Dumbbell Straight Leg Deadlift

Setup

1. 01Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of the thighs with a full grip.
2. 02Stand with feet hip width apart and knees locked straight but not forced.
3. 03Set the shoulder blades back and brace the trunk.
4. 04Shift a little weight toward the mid foot before hinging.

Execution

1. 01Hinge at the hips while keeping the knees completely straight.
2. 02Lower the dumbbells down the front of the legs under control.
3. 03Stop at the depth where the back can no longer stay flat.
4. 04Squeeze the glutes and hamstrings to return to standing.

Checkpoints

• -Knees stay locked from the first rep to the last.
• -Spine holds one long neutral line at every depth.
• -Hips move backward as the torso lowers, not just the shoulders.
• -Tension stays in the hamstrings, not the low back.

Common mistakes

• -Rounding the spine to touch the floor.
• -Unlocking the knees when the stretch gets intense.
• -Bouncing out of the bottom position.
• -Using loads too heavy to control through the full stretch.