Barbell Hamstring Exercises
Every exercise on this page is a hinge, and that is the point: the barbell's contribution to hamstring training is load, and the hinge is how you apply it. The Romanian deadlift is the reference: hips travel backward, knees stay slightly bent, and the hamstrings take the weight through a deep stretch until the position runs out.
The variations adjust the range and the emphasis. A stiff-leg deadlift keeps the knees straighter and lengthens the hamstring further. A deficit deadlift, standing on a plate, adds range at the bottom. A snatch-grip deadlift widens the grip so you start lower still. All of them load the hamstring in the stretched position, which is where it grows. What a barbell cannot do is train knee flexion, so pair these with curls.
Beginner1
Intermediate3
Advanced3
Other equipment for Hamstrings
Frequently asked questions
Romanian deadlift or stiff-leg deadlift?
The Romanian deadlift keeps a slight knee bend and starts from the top, emphasising the stretch under control. The stiff-leg version keeps the legs straighter and reaches a longer hamstring stretch but is harder on the lower back. Most people should default to the RDL.
How low should I go on a Romanian deadlift?
Until your hamstrings reach the end of their stretch and no further. That is usually somewhere between mid-shin and just below the knee, and it is different for everyone. The moment your lower back starts to round, you have gone past your range.
Do deadlifts train the hamstrings enough?
They train hip extension thoroughly but never bend the knee, so one of the hamstring's two functions goes untrained. A programme of nothing but deadlift variations leaves the hamstrings incompletely developed, so add a leg curl of some kind.