How to Do the Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is a hip hinge that starts standing and keeps your knees only slightly bent. It stretches and loads the hamstrings and glutes more than a floor deadlift. It suits lifters who want stronger, bigger hamstrings and a better hinge pattern.

Hamstrings Glutes BarbellIntermediate

Log every set of your Romanian Deadlift in Superlift

Muscles worked

Primary

Hamstrings
Glutes

Secondary

Lower Back
Calves

How to do the Romanian Deadlift

1
Unrack or pick up the bar and stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2
Hold the bar at hip level with an overhand grip and soften your knees.
3
Brace your abs and pull your shoulders back.
4
Push your hips straight back so the bar slides down your thighs.
5
Lower until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually just below the knee.
6
Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips forward to stand tall.

Form cues to remember

Push your hips back like closing a door
Keep the bar on your legs
Flat back, long neck
Stand up by squeezing glutes

Romanian Deadlift video tutorial

HOW TO DO ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS (RDLs): Build Beefy Hamstrings With Perfect Technique · Jeff Nippard on YouTube

Common mistakes

Rounding the back

Reduce the range and lower only as far as you can keep your back flat.

Squatting the movement

Keep your knees nearly straight and let the hips move back instead of down.

Bar drifting forward

Keep it in contact with your thighs and shins the whole way.

Hyperextending at the top

Finish upright with your glutes squeezed, not leaning back.

Sets and reps

Muscle growth	3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, 2–3 min rest
Strength	3–5 sets of 5–8 reps, 2–3 min rest

Stop the descent as soon as your lower back starts to round. Keep the load manageable so you can control the way down.

Superlift for iPhone

Track your Romanian Deadlift and watch it go up

Superlift shows what you lifted last time, times your rest, and charts your strength week by week, so you always know what to beat. Every exercise in this library is built in, with the same demos and tutorials.

Logging sets, reps and weight in Superlift

Exercise instructions and video tutorials in Superlift

Romanian Deadlift FAQ

What muscles does the Romanian deadlift work?

It targets your hamstrings and glutes, with your lower back and grip working to hold the position. The calves and upper back also help stabilize.

How low should I go on a Romanian deadlift?

Lower until you feel a deep hamstring stretch and just before your back rounds. For many people that is around mid-shin.

Romanian deadlift vs stiff-leg deadlift?

The Romanian deadlift keeps a soft knee bend and starts from standing. The stiff-leg version straightens the legs more and stretches the hamstrings harder.