Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Hinge · hamstrings · intermediate
Start
FinishHow to do it
Start standing with the bar at the hips, soften the knees and push the hips back so the bar slides down the thighs, and stop the moment the hamstrings stop lengthening before driving the hips forward.
Muscles worked
Primary: hamstrings · Also works: glutes, lower back, grip
Equipment
Barbell, Full gym
Common mistakes
- Lowering the bar to the floor every rep — the RDL ends at mid-shin or wherever the hamstrings cap out
- Letting the bar drift forward of the mid-foot, which loads the lower back instead of the hamstrings
- Letting the shoulders round forward so the lats stop holding the bar tight to the legs
Variations
- Snatch-grip RDL for more range
- Pause two seconds at the bottom
- Straps to remove grip as the limiter
Can't do this one? Swap it for
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
- Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift
- Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift
- Cable Romanian Deadlift
Take care: ABROFIT automatically removes this movement for anyone who has flagged a lower back problem. If that's you, use one of the swaps above and speak to a physio before loading it.
Related exercises
- Conventional Deadlifthamstrings
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifthamstrings
- Downward-Facing Doghamstrings
- Seated Forward Foldhamstrings
- Lying Leg Curlhamstrings
- Nordic Hamstring Curlhamstrings
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