Optimize your barbell Romanian deadlifts for better performance and results.
Form Check breaks down the intricacies of complex exercises so you can perform your best. See all the coach-guided video tutorials here.
A variation of the conventional deadlift, the barbell Romanian deadlift (RDL) works the entire posterior chain but stresses the hamstrings and glutes. To get the full benefit of the movement, your technique needs to be on point every rep.
Here’s how to do a barbell Romanian deadlift safely and effectively.
How to Do a Barbell Romanian Deadlift
1. Stand with feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Hold a barbell with hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing toward you, in front of thighs. Arms are straight.
2. Draw shoulders down and back and engage core. Bend knees slightly. This is the starting position.
3. On an inhale, fold in half from hip crease, sending hips back toward the wall behind you and hinging forward. Gaze follows. Maintain a neutral spine with lats engaged. The bar should float straight down toward the floor.
4. Keeping a soft bend in knees, continue hinging until you feel a stretch in hamstrings. Torso is roughly parallel with the floor, with bar lowered just below knees.
5. On an exhale, drive hips forward and press feet into the floor, torso rising in response, to return to the starting position. Knees are softly bent — not straightened — at the top.
That's one rep.
Common Barbell Romanian Deadlift Mistakes
1. You’re bending your knees too much. Minimizing knee flexion is what turns the traditional deadlift into the RDL. Keep the soft knee bend while hinging from the hips to ensure the hamstrings and glutes take on more of the workload.
2. You’re not engaging your upper body. Although the barbell RDL emphasizes the lower-body musculature, the torso and upper body should still be active. Take the time to properly brace your core and draw your shoulders down and into your back pocket before your set. Imagine squeezing an orange in your armpits and trying to bend the bar in half. These tips will help you maintain a neutral spine, without excessive rounding in the lower or upper back.
Barbell Romanian Deadlift Variations
To Scale Back:
1. Barbell Hip Thrust. Another hip-hinge movement, the barbell hip thrust strengthens the glutes and hamstrings just like the RDL. If your deadlifts verge on squats and you can’t quite grasp hip flexion and extension, practice the movement pattern with the hip thrust.
To Progress:
1. B-Stance Barbell Romanian Deadlift. Build unilateral strength by switching up your stance. Step your right foot 4 to 5 inches backward, lift your right heel off the ground (toes planted), and shift most of your body weight into your left foot. Perform your RDLs as usual, but don’t forget to hit both sides.