Barbell · Hamstrings
Barbell Deadlift is the barbell exercise for the hamstrings in the GymStreak library: a compound movement, all intermediate level. The guide below links to step-by-step instructions and form tips.
Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated
01
The hamstrings are three muscles: the biceps femoris on the outside and the semitendinosus and semimembranosus on the inside. All cross both the hip and the knee (apart from the short head of the biceps femoris, which crosses only the knee). They bend the knee and pull the thigh back behind you.
02
With a barbell, warm up with the empty bar, add weight in small steps and keep a log so you can beat last session's numbers. Use collars, and safety arms or a spotter for heavy squats and presses. The barbell lets you lift the most weight and add it in small steps, which makes it the classic tool for building strength with squats, presses, deadlifts and rows.
03
Pick one hinge (dumbbell or barbell Romanian deadlift) and one leg curl. Without machines, single-leg deadlifts and glute bridge variations are good bodyweight options.
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Free GymStreak calculators that go with hamstrings training.
Guides from the GymStreak blog on this topic.
GymStreak's AI personal trainer builds a workout plan from your goal, schedule and equipment, shows every exercise with an animated demo and logs your sets.
