5 Deadlift Variations to Light Up Your Legs   and  Butt 

The deadlift is a great exercise to really work the entire back of your body, including your hamstrings, glutes, and back. And there are tons of deadweight variations, making it easy to choose the right version to suit your needs.

The deadlift is an example of a compound exercise, which means that you use multiple groups at once. As a result, your training becomes more efficient, as you are working many muscles with one exercise. Compare that to an isolation exercise like a bicep curl, in which you really only focus on the smaller muscles in your upper arm.

Because of this, the deadlift is considered a really important move to gain strength, Lauren Williams, a Project by Equinox trainer, tells SELF. Your quads, glutes,  and hamstrings are but so are your back and traps, and even your shoulders and triceps. It's a lot like a full-body strength move, so you're really challenging your strength through of the entire posterior chain, she explains.

The deadlift also gives you an excellent core workout.  Over time, the deadlift can help improve stability and core strength, without the need for crunches or planks. Some variations, such as the single leg or offset load deadlift, also require your core to resist rotation, providing an additional challenge for the core.

Kelsey McClellan

Since there are so many variations of deadlifts, there are probably some that will work best for your body and your goals. Unless you are a weightlifter in a deadlift competition, there is no "right" way to deadlift - choose the variation that works for you. Some people love pulling off the ground with a conventional barbell deadlift, while others prefer the balance challenge that comes with a single-leg variation. Others prefer to incorporate several of the different deadlift variations into their fitness program during different workouts, as each offers a different challenge.

Here are 10 different variations of the deadlift; try some of them and see which ones feel best for you.

 1 

Romanian (Stiff-Leg) Deadlift 

Before getting fancy, master a basic deadlift like this. 
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at thigh level.
Hinge at your hips, slightly bending your knees. Push your butt back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor and the weights should reach your shins.
Keeping your torso tight, push your heels to stand up straight. Keep the weights close to your shins as you pull.The proper shape here will make the other versions easier to nail and allow you to reap the benefits of muscle building without accidentally injuring yourself.
Pause at the top and squeeze your butt. This is 1 rep.

 2 
Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift                                                            

This is another great deadlift variation for anyone just starting out; Besides, it is very convenient for those who do not have much equipment.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Hold a kettlebell by the handle with both hands in front of your thighs.
Hinge at your hips, slightly bending your knees. Push your butt back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor. Touch the bottom of the kettlebell to the ground. Keeping your torso tight, push your heels to stand up straight. Keep the kettlebell close to your body while pulling.

Pause at the top and squeeze your butt. This is 1 rep.

 3 

Single-Leg Deadlift                                                          

While you will likely lift lighter loads with a single leg deadlift than a traditional one, it will challenge your muscles in different ways. For one thing, the hip and core muscles really have to be activated to keep the body stable and balance on one leg. With the single-leg deadlift, holding two dumbbells may be easier on balance than holding one, Tony Gentilcore C.S.C.S., founder of Core in Brookline, Massachusetts, tells SELF. A more advanced progression would be the single leg contralateral deadlift, in which you hold a dumbbell on the opposite side that is doing the work.
Stand with your feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your legs. This is the initial position.
Shift your weight to your right leg and, while maintaining a slight bend in your right knee, lift your left leg straight behind your body, rotating your hips to bring your torso parallel to the floor, and lower your weight toward the floor.
Keep your back flat. At the bottom of the movement, your torso and left leg should be nearly parallel to the ground, with your weight a few inches off the ground. (If your hamstrings are tight, you may not be able to lift your leg as much.)
Keeping your core tight, push through your right heel to stand up straight and pull the weight back to the starting position. Lower your left leg back down to find your right, but try to keep most of the weight on your right foot.
Pause and squeeze your butt. That's 1 rep.

 4 

Kickstand Deadlift

A staggered or stance deadlift can be a useful progression to the single-leg deadlift, Gentilcore says. That's because while you're working primarily on one leg, the other leg still helps you balance. This also allows you to lift more weight than a single-leg deadlift because it's more stable, Williams says.

Place one foot one foot in front of the other, with your toe on the ground, so that your posture is staggered. You will be working your front leg.
Hinge at the hips to lower the body.
Keeping your torso tight, push on your front heel to stand up straight. Keep the weights close to your shins as you pull up. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
Pause at the top and squeeze your butt. That's 1 rep.

 5 

Offset Load Deadlift

For this deadlift, you have two weight options: hold a weight in one hand and no weight in the other, or use a lighter weight in one hand and a heavier weight in the other. The point is to have a different amount of weight on both sides of your body. "This tests your stability, because you have to work harder to keep your hips square and keep your back nice and flat," explains Williams. Challenging your stability means challenging your core; Those muscles must engage and work to keep the torso from twisting.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, grasping the weight (or weights) with your arms straight.
Hinge your hips with your knees slightly bent to lower your body. Push your butt back and keep your back flat. Your torso should be almost parallel to the floor.
Keeping your torso tight, push your heels to stand up straight. Keep the weights close to your shins as you pull.
Pause at the top and squeeze your butt. This is 1 rep.