Romanian Deadlift
A hip hinge lowering the weight from standing, keeping the legs nearly straight — the go-to hamstring and glute strength builder for runners.
Also called: rdl
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Stand tall holding the weight against your thighs, feet hip-width, soft bend in the knees.
How to do the Romanian Deadlift
- Push the hips straight back — imagine closing a car door behind you with your glutes.
- The weight slides down the thighs, staying in contact with the legs.
- Back stays flat, shoulders packed.
- Lower until you feel a real hamstring stretch (usually just past the knees), then drive the hips forward to stand.
Romanian Deadlift muscles worked
The Romanian Deadlift works the hamstrings, glutes and lower back.
Common Romanian Deadlift mistakes
- Bending the knees and turning it into a squat.
- Rounding the back to go deeper than the hamstrings allow.
- Letting the bar swing away from the legs.
Scale it
Easier: Lighter dumbbells and a shorter range.
Harder: Heavier load, a slow 3-second lowering, or the single-leg version.
Pairs well with
Back Squat
The barbell squat — the heaviest-loadable lower-body strength lift, building quads, glutes, and trunk strength together.
Deadlift
Lifting a barbell from the floor by hinging at the hips — the fundamental full-body strength lift for the posterior chain.
Glute Bridge
Lifting the hips from the floor lying on your back — the simplest glute activation and strength exercise, a staple in warm-ups and rehab.
Hip Thrust
Driving the hips up against load with the upper back on a bench — the most direct way to load the glutes heavy.