Exercise Comparison
Ball Leg Curl vs Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift
Side-by-Side
Muscle Analysis
Shared
Only in Ball Leg Curl
Only in Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift
Instructions
Ball Leg Curl
Begin on the floor laying on your back with your feet on top of the ball.
Position the ball so that when your legs are extended your ankles are on top of the ball. This will be your starting position.
Raise your hips off of the ground, keeping your weight on the shoulder blades and your feet.
Flex the knees, pulling the ball as close to you as you can, contracting the hamstrings.
After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift
Grasp a bar using an overhand grip (palms facing down). You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the hips while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Inhale as you perform this movement.
Start bringing your torso up straight again by extending your hips until you are back at the starting position. Exhale as you perform this movement.
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Verdict
Both exercises target the hamstrings. Ball Leg Curl is a beginner exercise using exercise ball, while Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift is intermediate and uses barbell. Choose Ball Leg Curl if you're looking for a more accessible option, or Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift for a greater challenge. Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift is a compound movement working multiple joints, making it better for overall strength. Ball Leg Curl isolates the target muscle for focused development.