Romanian Deadlift

HamstringsBarbell

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a fundamental exercise for building strong hamstrings, glutes, and a resilient posterior chain.

How to do it

1Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulders.

2Keep a slight bend in your knees and initiate the movement by pushing your hips straight back.

3Keep your back flat and lower the bar close along your legs until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.

4Stop lowering once the bar reaches mid-shin or your hips stop moving back—do not let your spine round.

5Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to pull back up to the starting position without arching backwards.

Common mistakes

Rounding your spine — keep your back flat and core tight throughout the entire movement.

Squatting instead of hinging — this is a hip hinge, not a squat, so keep knee bend minimal and consistent.

Lowering the bar too far down past your flexibility limits, forcing your lower back to flex.

Using heavy weight before mastering the hip hinge mechanics.

Breathing

Inhale as you hinge down and lower the bar; exhale as you drive your hips forward to stand.

Make it harder or easier

To scale down: Swap the barbell for dumbbells or reduce the range of motion to knee level.

To scale up: Gradually load heavier weights or perform tempo reps with a slow eccentric phase.

Mind-muscle connection: Focus on pushing your glutes toward the wall behind you on the way down, then squeezing them hard at the top.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.