For RDL/stiff legged deadlifts you should only have a slight bend in the knee and focus on moving your ass back during the eccentric instead of letting your knees get forward. It’s a great exercise that will primarily load your hamstrings and glutes, which is why every* girl you see in the gym are doing them. Glutes and hamstring are part of a normal leg day.
For a deadlift you knees will have a greater bend and move slightly forward which puts your body in a better position for maximal force output. You can load it a lot heavier and you’re putting more tension on your quads. Deadlifts isn’t as much of a leg exercise as it is a “your entire posterior chain” exercise.
Haha for real. I don’t do them, but I don’t disparage anyone for how they like to work out. I do wish people would focus on form before weight though, I’ve seen some concerning deadlift reps 🤣
100%. Also aren’t your legs straight for a whole deadlift? (I don’t do them, always struck me as a lower back thing)
Edit: spelling
For RDL/stiff legged deadlifts you should only have a slight bend in the knee and focus on moving your ass back during the eccentric instead of letting your knees get forward. It’s a great exercise that will primarily load your hamstrings and glutes, which is why every* girl you see in the gym are doing them. Glutes and hamstring are part of a normal leg day.
For a deadlift you knees will have a greater bend and move slightly forward which puts your body in a better position for maximal force output. You can load it a lot heavier and you’re putting more tension on your quads. Deadlifts isn’t as much of a leg exercise as it is a “your entire posterior chain” exercise.
*not every, just a whole lot
There’s a variation where you keep your legs straight to help you get more bootylicious, but generally no.
Cool thanks
Before your edit I 100% thought you were saying deadlifts are for losers lol
Haha for real. I don’t do them, but I don’t disparage anyone for how they like to work out. I do wish people would focus on form before weight though, I’ve seen some concerning deadlift reps 🤣
I similarly gave some side-eye at the leg-day/deadlift thing, but some people have weird schedules 🤷♂️