Wide Stance Stiff Legs

A intermediate olympic weightlifting exercise for the hamstrings, done with a barbell.

Wide Stance Stiff Legs: finishing position

Main muscles: Hamstrings
Also works: Quads, Glutes and Lower back
Equipment: Barbell
Level: Intermediate
Type: Compound
Movement: Pull

How to do the Wide Stance Stiff Legs

Begin with a barbell loaded on the floor. Adopt a wide stance, and then bend at the hips to grab the bar. Your hips should be as far back as possible, and your legs nearly straight. Keep your back straight, and your head and chest up. This will be your starting position.
Begin the movement be engaging the hips, driving them forward as you allow the arms to hang straight. Continue until you are standing straight up, and then slowly return the weight to the starting position. For successive reps, the weight need not touch the floor.

Sets and reps

Strength	3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes
Muscle	3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes
Endurance or fat loss	2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds

Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.

Alternatives to the Wide Stance Stiff Legs

Questions

What muscles does the Wide Stance Stiff Legs work?

Mainly the hamstrings, with the quads, glutes and lower back helping.

Is the Wide Stance Stiff Legs good for beginners?

It's rated intermediate. Beginners can build up to it with Clean Deadlift first.

What can I do instead of the Wide Stance Stiff Legs?

Good alternatives that train the hamstrings: Clean, Muscle Snatch, Power Clean from Blocks or Romanian Deadlift from Deficit.

How many sets and reps of the Wide Stance Stiff Legs should I do?

Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes. Muscle: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes. Endurance or fat loss: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds.

Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).