Romanian Deadlift
A hip hinge that loads the hamstrings and glutes through a long stretch. Excellent for posterior-chain size and strength.
Muscle activation
- Hamstrings45%
- Glutes30%
- Lower back10%
- Adductors10%
- Forearms5%
Approximate share of work; varies with grip, stance and tempo.
Step by step
1. Start position
Start standing tall holding the bar with an overhand grip just outside your thighs.
2. Mid-rep
Keep the knee bend fixed and your back flat as your torso tips forward.
3. End of the movement
Lower until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, usually around mid-shin, without your back rounding.
4. Common mistake
Rounding the back to reach lower
Ways to do it
Deadlift & hinge on 10 different setups — pick whatever is free in your gym. Progress is tracked separately for each.
- Barbell, conventionalConventional Deadlift
- Barbell, sumoSumo Deadlift
- Trap barTrap Bar Deadlift
- Rack pullRack Pull
- Romanian, barbellRomanian Deadlift
- Romanian, dumbbellsDumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- Single-legSingle-Leg Romanian Deadlift
- Good morningBarbell Good Morning
- 45° back extension45° Back Extension
- Kettlebell swingKettlebell Swing
How to do it
Setup
- 1Start standing tall holding the bar with an overhand grip just outside your thighs.
- 2Set feet about hip width with a soft bend in the knees.
- 3Pull your shoulders back slightly and brace your trunk.
Execution
- 1Push your hips straight back while the bar slides down your thighs.
- 2Keep the knee bend fixed and your back flat as your torso tips forward.
- 3Lower until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, usually around mid-shin, without your back rounding.
- 4Drive the hips forward to stand tall, squeezing the glutes at the top without leaning back.
Breathing
Breathe in and brace at the top, hold as you hinge down, breathe out as you finish standing.
Tempo
3-1-1-0 (eccentric-pause-concentric-pause)
Muscles worked
Primary
Hamstrings, Glutes
Secondary
Lower back, Adductors, Forearms
Key form cues
- Hips back to the wall
- Bar stays on your legs
- Soft knees, flat back
- Squeeze glutes to finish
Common mistakes
Rounding the back to reach lower
Stop the descent where your hamstrings limit you — depth comes from hips moving back, not the spine bending.
Bending the knees more and turning it into a squat
Keep a fixed, slight knee bend and focus on pushing the hips back.
Letting the bar drift away from the legs
Engage your lats and keep the bar in contact with your thighs and shins.
Range of motion
From standing tall to the point of maximum hamstring stretch with a neutral spine — typically just below the knee to mid-shin.
Variations
Easier
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Harder
Single-leg Romanian deadlift or deficit RDL
At home
Single-leg RDL holding a backpack or water jugs
Machine / cable
Seated or lying leg curl, or cable pull-through