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Stiff Leg Deadlift to Front Raise

This combination move chains a dumbbell stiff-leg deadlift into a straight-arm front raise, hitting hamstrings and glutes on the hinge and the front delts on the lift. Maddy uses it in circuits when a client needs full-body work from one pair of light dumbbells. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Hamstrings Glutes · gluteus maximus Lower back · erector spinae Forearm flexors Front shoulders · anterior deltoid

Sets & reps by goal

GoalSets × RepsRest
Strength4 × 5-6 combos2 min
Muscle3 × 9-12 combos60-90 s
Endurance2-3 × 18-20 combos30-45 s

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Intermediate

Intermediate as a combo; the sequencing, not either individual movement, is what needs practice.

Proper form — 5 cues

  1. Complete the hinge fully — stand all the way up before the raise begins.
  2. Keep the same soft knees through the hinge on every rep.
  3. Raise the dumbbells to shoulder height with straight arms and palms facing down.
  4. Re-brace the trunk between the two phases; ribs stay stacked over hips during the raise.
  5. Lower the dumbbells to the thighs with control before hinging into the next rep.

Breathing: Exhale driving up from the hinge, inhale as the arms lower, and reset the brace before each new rep.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Blending the two movements into one swinging arc.. Using hinge momentum to throw the raise robs both the hamstrings and the delts of actual work and turns the exercise into a swing. Fix: Insert a deliberate one-second standstill at the top of the hinge before the arms move.
Loading it like a deadlift.. The front raise is the weakest link — a weight your hamstrings barely notice will still wreck the raise and force cheating. Fix: Choose the load your front raise can handle for the full set; the hinge simply gets extra practice.
Leaning back as the dumbbells rise.. The backward lean shifts strain into the lower back and lets the delts off the hook. Fix: Squeeze the glutes and brace the abs during the raise so the body stays a vertical pillar.

Common questions

What's the point of combining a deadlift with a front raise?

Density. One pair of dumbbells trains the posterior chain and the shoulders back-to-back, which raises heart rate and cuts session time — useful in circuits and home workouts. The trade-off is load: the raise limits the weight, so this combo builds work capacity and movement quality more than maximal strength. When hamstring strength is the priority, split the two lifts and load the hinge properly.

Which muscles does the stiff-leg deadlift to front raise work?

The hinge phase loads the hamstrings and glutes while the muscles along the spine hold your back flat. The raise phase targets the anterior deltoid with help from the upper chest and traps, and your grip and forearms work throughout because the dumbbells never rest. It is close to a whole-body movement, which is exactly why it appears in Maddy's circuit blocks.

Can beginners do this combination exercise?

Yes, provided each half is already clean on its own. Learn the dumbbell stiff-leg deadlift and the front raise separately for a week or two, then join them with light dumbbells and a pause between phases. If either half breaks down — a rounding back or a swinging raise — return to practising that piece alone before recombining.

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