Romanian Deadlift

How to do the Romanian Deadlift with good form: step-by-step technique, the muscles it works (hamstrings and glutes), coaching cues and the mistakes to avoid.

Muscles worked

Primary: Hamstrings, Glutes
Secondary: Lower back, Forearms

How to do it

Stand completely upright, holding a barbell in front of your thighs with a pronated, shoulder-width grip.
Set your feet exactly hip-width apart and lock a very slight bend into your knees that will not change during the rep.
Take a large breath into your belly and brace your core tightly to lock your spine into a neutral, flat position.
Initiate the movement by actively pushing your hips straight back toward the wall behind you, keeping the bar sliding down your thighs.
Continue pushing your hips back until you feel an intense stretch in the back of your thighs, typically when the bar reaches mid-shin.
Squeeze your glutes violently and drive your hips forward to pull the torso back up to the standing position.

Coaching cues

Hips move backward, not down
Shave your legs with the barbell
Keep the back perfectly flat

Common mistakes

Bending the knees more as the bar goes down, turning it into a squat
Letting the bar drift away from the legs, putting massive strain on the lower back
Rounding the upper or lower spine to reach lower to the ground

Equipment and setup

Barbell, weight plates

Barbell loaded on the floor or taken from a rack at hip height.

Also known as: RDL, Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Track your Romanian Deadlift in ROAN

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