The Stiff Legged Dumbbell Targets What Muscles?

If you enjoy doing dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts, then you'd better know the anatomy of the exercise. This exercise is on the dangerous side if you don't perform it to the T. The position that you are in throughout the execution can wreak havoc on your spine and surrounding muscles. And since you can't replace your spine, you'd better do your best to take care of it.

  1. Hammies are First

    • Often abbreviated as the hammies, the hamstrings are the large muscles that stick out the back of your legs. To be a little more specific, these are four muscles at the back of your thighs. They are the semimembranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris long head and short head. Stiff-legged deadlifts first and foremost target three of those muscles. The only one left out is the biceps femoris short head.

    Your Butt is Second

    • Everyone knows what the butt is, but the butt is anatomically called the glutes. The glutes have three muscles: gluteus maximus, medius and minimus. The largest, by far, is the maximus. Stiff-legged deadlifts work your gluteus maximus in secondary fashion, as the muscle assists the primary muscles of the hamstrings.

    Adductors Also a Runner-up

    • Another muscle that assists the so-called hammies is the adductor magnus. More specifically, it is the rear-most muscle of the group, known as the adductor magnus posterior head, which lies deep within your inner thigh region. But when you do stiff-legged deadlifts, it acts as a secondary mover during the exercise.

    One More is the Core

    • There is one more major muscle region that you exercise during stiff-legged deadlifts -- the core, your abs and your spinal erectors. The abs lie in front of the stomach region, and the spinal erectors attach to your spine and are responsible for keeping your spine erect. During stiff-legged deadlifts, you contract your abs and spinal erectors to keep your spine straight, because rounding of your spine is dangerous during the movement.