Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift
A beginner compound movement that trains the hamstrings with a machine.
Force Type
Pull
compound
Difficulty
Beginner
compound
Variations
3
equipment swaps
Muscles
3
primary + secondary
The verdict
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift has 5-step instructions, among the most thoroughly documented of the 79 hamstrings exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 79 hamstrings exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Catalog lens
Two ways this record sits in the source corpus
These are placement measures for the documented record, not a score for exercise quality, safety, or suitability.
Instruction steps
#331 of 868
5 numbered source steps; the longest instruction list ranks #1.
Instruction text
#78 of 868
A separate character-length placement prevents step count from standing in for explanatory detail.
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift is a beginner compound movement that trains the Hamstrings along with glutes and lower back. It requires a machine. There are 3 known variations and 8 peer exercises that target the same primary muscle.
- 3 equipment variations documented
- 1 of 9 exercises targeting the Hamstrings
- Level: beginner
PlainExercise cross-links 3 variations and 8 peer exercises sharing the same primary muscle.
What the Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift Data Reveals · DEEP · PULL/COMPOUND
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift opens on force profile: a PULL compound pattern for hamstrings on a machine, force direction is the first filter on this floor-level record.
Among 873 exercises, 5 steps sit in the upper third (≥ 5). Longer step lists usually mean finer setup cues, not a harder movement by themselves.
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift is classified as a beginner-level compound movement with a pull force profile, primarily training the Hamstrings with secondary engagement of the glutes, lower back. The canonical form requires a machine in the strength category. Within the hamstrings cohort, 9 catalogued movements share the primary target; 3 equipment variations are mapped for Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift.
Context matters: taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, musculature, equipment) does not account for individual biomechanics, joint history, or recovery. Common-mistake framing below is derived from classification fields, not case-specific coaching. Not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting, especially with injuries, cardiovascular conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy.
Exercise profile
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | beginner |
| Mechanic | compound |
| Force | pull |
| Equipment | machine |
| Category | strength |
| Primary muscle | Hamstrings |
| Secondary muscles | 2 |
| Variations available | 3 |
Source: Free Exercise DB (CC0); profile derived per exercise record.
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift catalog footprint
Among 79 exercises whose primary muscle is hamstrings, Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift ranks #23 by catalogued variation count (3 listed heres). The upstream file attaches 2 images to this slug. See the step-count ranking for hamstrings for peer documentation depth.
Muscles worked
According to the Free Exercise DB classification, Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift trains the hamstrings as the prime mover, with 2 muscles assisting. The source classifies muscles as primary or secondary, it does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Involvement, not measured activation, actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- To begin, set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, grasp the bar using a pronated (palms forward) grip that is shoulder width apart. You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
- Lift the bar up by fully extending your arms while keeping your back straight. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
- Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the waist while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Exhale as you perform this movement
- Start bringing your torso up straight again as soon as you feel the hamstrings stretch by extending your hips and waist until you are back at the starting position. Inhale as you perform this movement.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift Documentation Depth
Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift carries 5-step instructions (1,100 characters of Free Exercise DB text) - enough upstream detail to compare documentation depth inside the hamstrings cohort, not just the taxonomy badges above. Across 79 catalogued hamstrings movements, the average instruction record is 621 characters and 3.9 steps; 41 of those (51.9%) clear the same ≥500-character rich bar used here. This page ranks #6 of 79 by instruction-character length (1.77× the cohort average).
The assistant set lists 2 secondary muscles (glutes, lower back). That multi-muscle footprint is part of why a long instruction record matters: sparse Free-Exercise-DB stubs often stop at a one-line cue and never name the assistants, so their pages stay short by construction.
Among the 67 exercises that also use a machine, average instruction length is 786 characters; 7 of those peers are longer than this record. Equipment-matched peers are the honest comparison when you are choosing a substitute implement for the same pattern.
Other well-documented hamstrings movements (same ≥500-character bar):
- Power Clean (24 steps, 3,264 chars)
- Clean (6 steps, 1,688 chars)
- Power Clean from Blocks (5 steps, 1,423 chars)
- Split Snatch (6 steps, 1,289 chars)
- Power Snatch (5 steps, 1,116 chars)
Common mistakes
- Rushing through reps before the pattern is grooved - at this stage, a slow, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) on Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift teaches the nervous system the movement far faster than speed does.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the hamstrings through its full safe range on Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Treating a compound lift like an isolation movement - Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift recruits multiple joints; bracing the core and engaging stabilizers matters as much as the prime movers.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears on pull movements, keep shoulder blades down and back to load the correct muscles.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift on Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with a machine where control matters most.
Who this is for
- People new to resistance training who want to build a foundation in the movement pattern
- People who want to train the Hamstrings and secondarily glutes, lower back
- People who have access to a machine
Who this is NOT for
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
Once Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to intermediate-level movements that train the same muscle.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes · MACHINE · PULL/COMPOUND · FLOOR
- On PULL/COMPOUND hamstrings work, warm up 5–10 minutes before loading Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift; keep first sets light until the path feels automatic.
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
- Beginners on MACHINE gear: cut volume before cutting form, drop a set rather than rush reps.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Variations
Alternate versions of this movement with different equipment.
Nationwide exercises with similar documentation depth
Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Smith Machine Stiff-Legged Deadlift, drawn across all muscles (not the hamstrings-only related list below). Each metric produces a different neighborhood.
Similar instruction step count
Nearest catalog records by numbered steps (5 here).
Similar instruction text length
Nearest catalog records by upstream instruction characters (1,100 here).
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Hamstrings.
See all Hamstrings exercises.
Using the smith machine stiff-legged deadlift
A beginner compound movement for the hamstrings - here's how to put it to work.
- Train the hamstrings 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other hamstrings movements for balanced development. All hamstrings exercises
- No machine? 3 documented variations swap the implement without changing the movement pattern. See variations
- As a compound lift, this trains several muscles at once, anchor your session around it before isolation work. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.