Muscles worked
The Romanian deadlift is a hip hinge, and the main work is done by your hamstrings and gluteus maximus, which together extend your hips as you stand up. Your hamstrings work in a stretched position on the way down, where most people feel it most. The muscles along your spine hold your back straight, and the adductors on the inside of your thigh help extend the hip. Your grip, forearms and traps hold the bar. The straighter your knees, the more your hamstrings are stretched.
Common mistakes
- Bending your knees more and more on the way down. It turns into half a deadlift and your hamstrings get less to do. Keep the same slight knee bend throughout and let the movement come from your hips travelling back.
- Leaning back at the top. The rep is finished when you are standing tall. Squeeze your glutes and keep your ribs down rather than arching backwards.
- Your grip giving out before your legs. On heavy sets it is often your grip that stops you. Use chalk or lifting straps, so your hamstrings decide when the set is over.
Variations and alternatives
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are the same movement with dumbbells. Often easier to learn, and good at home or without a barbell.
- Single leg Romanian deadlifts train one leg at a time with less weight and more balance. Useful if one side is weaker.
- Stiff leg deadlifts are done with almost straight knees, for even more stretch on your hamstrings.
- Cable pull-throughs use the same hip movement with lighter weight, a good way to learn to send your hips back.
Sets and reps
The Romanian deadlift works best for 6 to 10 reps, often as the second or third exercise of a session, after squats or deadlifts. For strength, 4 to 6 reps works, with your form as the limit: if your back starts to round, the weight is too heavy. Above roughly 12 reps your grip and back often tire before your hamstrings do, and your form slips. For more reps, the lying leg curl is a better choice. The guide to sets and reps has more on this.
Add weight in small steps in line with progressive overload, and leave a couple of reps in reserve on most sets. Your hamstrings are often properly sore after the first few sessions, so start light and build up once you know how your body responds.