Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a hip-hinge lift where you lower a barbell down your legs with soft knees and a flat back, then stand tall again. It builds strong hamstrings and glutes and trains your lower back to hold a firm position under load. It suits beginners who have learned the basic hinge with a light bar, as well as experienced lifters who want more hamstring work.
Muscles worked
The Romanian Deadlift mainly works your hamstrings and lower back, with your glutes helping.
Setting up
- Set the bar at about hip height in a rack, or deadlift it up from the floor and stand tall. Start with an empty 20 kg bar or a light load while you learn the movement.
- Hold the bar with an overhand grip just outside your thighs, with your arms straight and the bar resting against the tops of your thighs.
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, toes pointing forwards or slightly out. Spread your weight across the middle of your foot and heels, and keep a small, soft bend in your knees.
- Wear flat, firm-soled trainers or lift in socks. Avoid soft, cushioned running shoes, which can feel unstable under a barbell.
How to do the Romanian Deadlift
- Stand tall with your chest proud, your eyes on a spot a few metres ahead on the floor, and the bar against your thighs.
- Take a big breath into your belly and brace as if someone were about to poke you in the stomach.
- Push your hips straight back, as if closing a car boot with your bum, while keeping the same soft bend in your knees.
- Slide the bar down your thighs and shins, keeping it touching your legs, as your torso tips forwards with a flat back.
- Stop when you feel a strong stretch in the back of your thighs, or just before your back starts to round. For most people this is somewhere between the knee and mid-shin.
- Drive your hips forwards and squeeze your glutes to stand tall, keeping the bar close to your legs all the way up.
- Finish standing upright without leaning back, then breathe in and reset before the next rep.
Form tips
- Think about pushing your hips back rather than bending over. Your shins should stay close to vertical, and your hips should travel back behind your heels.
- Keep the bar dragging along your thighs and shins. If it drifts away from you, the weight pulls your lower back out of position.
- Lock in your knee bend at the start and keep it the same on the way down. If your knees bend more as you lower, you are squatting the weight rather than hinging.
- Keep your neck in line with your spine by looking at the floor a few metres in front of you, not at the mirror or up at the ceiling.
- Use the stretch in your hamstrings as your depth guide. Your range depends on your flexibility, so do not chase the floor.
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back
Lower the bar only as far as you can keep your back flat, and reduce the weight if needed. Brace before each rep and stop the descent as soon as you feel your back start to curl.
Squatting the weight down
Keep the same small knee bend from top to bottom and send your hips back instead of dropping them down. Your shins should stay almost vertical.
Letting the bar drift away from your legs
Keep the bar in contact with your thighs and shins the whole way down and up. Imagine you are wiping the bar clean against your legs.
Leaning back at the top
Finish by squeezing your glutes until your hips are fully forwards, then stop. Standing tall is enough, and leaning back adds nothing and strains your lower back.
Sets and reps
| Build strength | 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps with a challenging but controlled weight, resting 2-3 minutes between sets. |
|---|---|
| Build muscle | 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, lowering the bar for about 2-3 seconds each rep, resting 60-90 seconds. |
| Fat loss and general fitness | 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps with a lighter weight and tidy form, resting 45-60 seconds, as part of a full-body session. |
Pick a weight where the last rep or two of each set is hard but your form stays clean. When every set feels easy, it's time to go up.
Romanian Deadlift alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Romanian Deadlift FAQs
What is the difference between a Romanian deadlift and a normal deadlift?
A conventional deadlift starts from the floor with a bent-knee setup, and each rep begins from a dead stop. A Romanian deadlift starts standing, keeps the knees softly bent, and the bar only travels down to about mid-shin, so there is much more hip hinge and hamstring stretch.
How low should I go on a Romanian deadlift?
Lower the bar until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, or until you can no longer keep your back flat, whichever comes first. For many people that is just below the knee or mid-shin. Do not worry about touching the floor.
Why do I feel Romanian deadlifts in my lower back and not my hamstrings?
Your lower back works to hold your position, so some effort there is normal. If it takes over, the weight is probably too heavy, the bar is drifting forwards, or you are not pushing your hips back far enough. Lighten the load, keep the bar against your legs and think about hips back. If you feel sharp pain, stop and get it checked.
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