Wide Stance Stiff Legs

Wide Stance Stiff Legs is a strength - wide-stance hip hinge exercise involving Hamstrings. Use these steps to learn the movement and work with your coach to choose a suitable level.

Last updated: 2026-10-31 · DynPerformance

Primary muscles: Hamstrings
Secondary muscles: Hip adductors, Gluteus maximus, Erector spinae
Exercise type: Strength - wide-stance hip hinge

Exercise technique

Stance
Stand comfortably wide in front of the bar.
Grip
Hinge at the hips and take a full grip suited to the leg arrangement.
Knees
Bend knees very slightly without locking the joints.
Prepare
Send hips back, lengthen the back and position the bar close.
Lift
Extend hips forward to stand with long arms.
Lower
Send hips back again and lower the bar close to your legs.
Limit
Reverse where hamstring tension and spinal control remain; floor contact is not required.

Key technique points

Choose width according to hip comfort.
Change knee angle only slightly.
Keep the bar close.
Maintain a long back.
Use hamstring tension to define the range limit.
Do not lean backward at the top.

Common mistakes

Locked knees

Do not turn the slightly bent-leg position into hard joint pressure.

Overly wide feet

Do not use a stance that prevents moving the hips backward.

Rounded lower back

Do not gain depth through the spine to reach the floor.

Turning into a squat

Do not bend knees markedly and change the hinge task.

Distant bar path

Do not let the load drift ahead of your legs.

Excessive top extension

Do not extend hip lockout through lumbar curvature.

Frequently asked questions