Exercises / Romanian Deadlift

Romanian Deadlift

Also known as: RDL, Barbell RDL

A hip hinge with the bar starting at the thighs. You sit the hips back, keep the bar close, then stand.

Primary muscles
Hamstrings, Glutes (gluteus maximus)
Secondary muscles
Back (erector spinae), Forearms
Equipment
Barbell (barbell, plates)
Pattern
Hinge
Difficulty
Intermediate
Line diagram of a Romanian Deadlift.
Diagram: Fytniz. License: original-placeholder (Fytniz).

Stills

Line-art hinged position with the bar below the knees.
Romanian-deadlift-2.png by Everkinetic, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA (share-alike). Source.
Line-art standing start with the bar at the hips.
Romanian-deadlift-1.png by Everkinetic, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA (share-alike). Source.

Cues

  1. Start standing with the bar at the hips, not from the floor.
  2. Keep a soft knee, then push the hips back until the hamstrings load.
  3. Keep the bar close to the thighs; do not reach it away from the body.
  4. Stop the descent when the back would have to round to go lower; stand by driving the hips forward.

Common mistakes

  • Turning it into a squat by bending the knees too much.
  • Rounding the lumbar spine to chase extra range.
  • Letting the bar drift forward off the legs.

Safety

  • Keep the bar close and the back long. Do not bounce out of the bottom.
  • Stop if you feel sharp pain in the low back or hamstring.