Legs
Romanian Deadlift
The main hinge for the back of your legs: you push your hips back and lower the dumbbells down your thighs with a flat back. It builds your hamstrings and glutes, plus the back strength to hold heavy weight.
- Works
- Hamstrings, glutes, lower back, upper back
- Equipment
- A pair of dumbbells
- Load
- Medium to heavy
How to do it
- 1Stand tall with your feet hip width apart, a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, palms facing you.
- 2Soften your knees and push your hips back, letting the dumbbells slide down the front of your legs.
- 3Stop when you feel a big stretch in your hamstrings, usually just below your knees, with your back still flat.
- 4Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Cues
- Push your hips back, like you're shutting a door behind you with your butt.
- Keep the dumbbells close, brushing your legs.
- Take 3 seconds on the way down.
Common mistakes
- Rounding your back. Stop where your back stays flat. The range comes from your hips, not your spine.
- Squatting it. Your knees bend a little and stay there. The movement is your hips going back.
- Dumbbells drifting away from your legs. Pull your shoulders back and keep the weights close the whole way down and up.
Easier
Go lighter, and stop just above your knees until the hinge feels natural.
Harder
Take 3 seconds on the way down, or do 2 full reps followed by 2 small partials at the bottom.
Try it: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What is the difference between a Romanian deadlift and a regular deadlift?
A regular deadlift starts from the floor each rep and your knees bend more. A Romanian deadlift starts standing, keeps your knees soft and only lowers as far as your hamstrings allow, so the back of your legs does more of the work.
