Muscles worked
What the barbell romanian deadlift trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Get the bar to the top. Set the bar in a rack at about mid-thigh height and walk it out, or deadlift it off the floor once. Every RDL rep starts from standing, not from the floor.
- 02
Stance. Feet about hip width apart, toes forward or turned out slightly, with the bar touching the front of your thighs.
- 03
Grip. Hands just outside your thighs, palms facing you. Use straps once your grip, not your hamstrings, ends the set.
- 04
Stand tall and brace. Squeeze your glutes, pull your shoulders back and down, take a big breath into your belly and tighten your abs.
- 05
Set the knees. Unlock your knees into a slight bend, about 15 to 20 degrees. That bend stays the same for the whole rep.
Step by step
How to do the barbell romanian deadlift
- Bar stays close to the legs
- Unlock the knees into a soft bend
Hips back 3s → Hips through 1s → Stand tall 0.7s
Hatching marks the highlighted muscle groups.
- 01
Push the hips back. Start the rep by sending your hips straight back, as if closing a car door with your backside. Your chest tips forward because your hips go back, not because you bend at the waist.
- 02
Slide the bar down. Keep the bar touching your thighs and then your knees as it lowers. Your shins stay roughly vertical and your weight sits in your mid foot and heels.
- 03
Find the bottom. Stop when your hips will not go back any further without your back rounding or your knees bending more. For most people that is just below the knee to mid shin, with a strong stretch in the hamstrings.
- 04
Drive the hips through. Push your feet into the floor and bring your hips forward to stand, keeping the bar close the whole way up.
- 05
Finish tall. Stand straight with your glutes squeezed and your ribs down. Do not lean back at the top. Breathe and brace again before the next rep.
Cues to say in your head
- Hips back, not down
- Bar stays on your legs
- Set the knees, then hinge
- Long spine, proud chest
- Push the floor away
- Stand tall, don't lean back
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Squatting the weight down
If your knees keep bending as you lower, you are turning it into a squat. Fix the knee bend at the top and move only at the hips.
Rounding the back to reach lower
Depth comes from how far your hips go back, not from touching the floor. End the rep where your back stays flat, even if that is at the knee.
Bar drifting away from the legs
Pull the bar into your thighs with your lats. A bar that floats forward moves the load onto your lower back.
Leaning back at the top
Finish by squeezing your glutes with your ribs stacked over your hips. Overarching at lockout loads the lower back for nothing.
Knees locked straight
Keep the slight bend you set at the start. Locking the knees turns the rep into a stiff-leg deadlift, shortens how far your hips can travel back and shifts more of the work onto your lower back.
Cranking the head up
Look at the floor a few feet in front of you so your neck stays in line with your back.
Stay safe
Keep your back flat on every rep and end the set when you can no longer hold it, rather than grinding out a rounded rep. Start lighter than you think: the long stretch makes RDLs very sore the first few times. Use straps instead of letting a slipping grip pull your shoulders forward. Stop and get checked by a clinician or physical therapist if you feel sharp back pain, pain that travels down a leg, or numbness or tingling.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 | 4 to 6 | 80–88% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 6 to 12 | 65–80% 1RM | 1.5 to 3 min |
| Technique | 2 to 3 | 8 to 10 | 50–65% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
140–175lb
3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 3 min rest. Where most people should train the RDL. Lower in about 2 to 3 seconds and own the stretch.
Warm up to 160 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 10 + 2.5
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Barbell Romanian Deadlift questions
What is the difference between an RDL and a stiff-leg deadlift?
Coaches draw the line a little differently, but the usual split is this: an RDL starts each rep from standing, keeps a soft knee bend and moves only at the hips with a flat back, while a stiff-leg deadlift keeps the knees straighter and usually starts each rep from the floor. With straighter knees your hips travel back less, so your lower back tends to work harder. Both train the hamstrings hard, and the RDL is the easier one to keep a flat back on.
What muscles does the Romanian deadlift work?
Mainly the hamstrings and glutes, which extend your hips, with help from the adductors. Your lower back works to hold your spine flat, and your upper back, lats and grip keep the bar close to your legs.
How low should you go on a Romanian deadlift?
Go as low as your hips keep moving back with a flat back, which for most people is just below the knee to mid shin. The bar does not need to touch the floor; when your back starts to round, you have gone too far.
Is the dumbbell Romanian deadlift as good as the barbell version?
For building the hamstrings and glutes, yes, as long as the weights are heavy enough to challenge you. The barbell lets you load more and add weight in smaller steps, so it tends to be the main lift, with dumbbells as a home or lighter option.
Is the Smith machine RDL worth doing?
Yes, it is a solid way to train the hinge when you want to focus on the stretch without balancing a free bar. Stand close enough that the bar slides along your thighs, since the rails will not let it come back to you.
How many sets and reps of Romanian deadlifts should I do?
Three to four sets of 6 to 12 reps works for most people building muscle, once or twice a week. For strength, use 3 to 4 sets of 4 to 6 with a heavier load and longer rest.
Train in Protocol
Log your barbell romanian deadlift by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.