Romanian Deadlift (RDL) – How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits

The Romanian Deadlift is a hip hinge movement that primarily targets the hamstrings and glutes while also engaging the lower back and core. Unlike the traditional deadlift, the RDL starts from a standing position and focuses on the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift with a controlled range of motion.

It’s one of the most effective exercises for building posterior chain strength and improving hinge mechanics.

Primary Muscles Worked: Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus
Secondary Muscles Worked: Erector Spinae (Lower Back), Core, Adductors
Equipment Needed: Barbell, Dumbbells, or Kettlebells

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How To Do RDLs

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Set-Up:
   • Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell in front of your thighs.
   • Hold the weight with an overhand or mixed grip.
   • Place a slight bend in your knees and brace your core.
2. Execution:
   • Hinge at the hips by pushing them straight back while keeping the weight close to your legs.
   • Lower the weight slowly, maintaining a flat back, until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings—usually just below the knees or mid-shin.
   • Keep your torso long and your spine neutral.
   • Drive through your heels and extend your hips to return to standing.
   • Squeeze your glutes at the top.
3. Tips for Proper Form:
   • The movement comes from the hips, not the knees—don’t turn it into a squat.
   • Keep the bar close to your body the entire time.
   • Only go as low as your hamstring flexibility allows while maintaining a flat back.

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Key Benefits

• Builds strong, well-developed hamstrings and glutes.
• Reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics used in many lifts.
• Less stress on the lower back than conventional deadlifts when performed correctly.

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Modifications and Variations

• Easier Option:
  • Use lighter dumbbells and limit range of motion.
  • Perform a bodyweight or banded version to focus on form.
• Harder Option:
  • Increase load or slow down the eccentric phase.
  • Try single-leg RDLs for added balance and core demand.
  • Use a deficit to increase range of motion.

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Common Mistakes

• Rounding the Back: Keep your spine neutral and chest lifted.
• Bending the Knees Too Much: It’s a hinge, not a squat—knees stay soft, not bent deeply.
• Letting the Weight Drift Forward: Keep it close to your legs the whole time for control and safety.

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Reps and Sets Recommendations

• For Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps with moderate to heavy load.
• For Hypertrophy: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with strict control and full range.
• As an Accessory Movement: 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps following squats or deadlifts.

RDL Variations

There are a few common variations to the Romanian Deadlift and I’m going to go over three of them here.

All three still utilize the same movement pattern and the same muscles worked, just with variations in either equipment, grip or in the case of single-leg RDLs – using one leg instead of two.

Dumbbell RDL

The first Romanian Deadlift variation is the DB RDL. This one is pretty self-explanatory – the movement itself stays exactly the same.

The only difference is using dumbbells in place of the bar.

Single Leg RDL

The Single Leg Romanian Deadlift is a slightly more advanced progression of the regular RDL.

In this single-leg version, the concepts of the RDL remain the same – flat back, slight knee flexion, hip hinge – but on one leg instead of two.

The opposite leg swings behind the body as the torso hinges forward, similar to a teeter-totter. At the bottom of the lift, the back leg, hip joint and shoulders should all be in a relatively straight horizontal line.

Single Leg RDLs can be done either with a barbell or with a dumbbell (usually held in the opposite hand of the foot on the ground).

When doing a single-leg RDL, most athletes tend to want to rotate and open their hips on the hinge. Try to keep shoulders and hips square just like you would on a regular RDL.

Snatch Grip Romanian Deadlift

In the snatch grip version of the RDL, everything stays the same as the original – just with a modification to the grip.

The wider grip puts more emphasis on the upper back to maintain the neutral spine during the hip hinge.

RDL Alternatives

The two closest alternatives to a Romanian Deadlift are Hyperextensions and Good Mornings.

Want more options? Here are my 11 favorite alternatives for Romanian Deadlifts.

Hyperextensions

Hyperextensions are done with the help of a Glute Ham Machine. If something is hindering you from being able to grip and hold a barbell, hypers are a great alternative.

On the downside, if you’re working out of your home gym – many of us don’t have a glute ham machine due to their cost and size. In that case you can incline a bench, figure out a way to wedge your feet and hinge off the front edge of the bench.

Good Mornings

Good mornings are the other exercise that closely mimics an RDL, however there are some distinct differences when looking at a Good Morning vs RDL.

With a good morning, the lifter holds the bar on their back similar to a low bar back squat instead of holding it in their hands.

The hinge is the same and the stress is still placed on the entire posterior chain in the same way as a Romanian deadlift.

However, because a mistake in form can be more dangerous when performing good mornings as opposed to RDL, I tend to stay away from them when working with athletes.

Exercises to Superset with RDL

Looking for an exercise to superset with your RDLs? Here are two of my favorites:

Push-Ups

Why: Push-ups work the upper body muscles, providing a balanced workout by targeting the muscles that are not primarily used in RDLs.

Bulgarian Split Squats

Why: Bulgarian Split Squats target the quadriceps and promote unilateral strength, providing a nice balance to the hamstring-focused RDLs.

Want more options? Here are my picks for the 10 best exercises to superset with Romanian Deadlifts.

Final Thoughts on the RDL

The RDL is a great exercise for strengthening the hamstrings, glutes and low back, but like with many compound lower body exercises (and Olympic lifts like Power Clean), technique is critical.

Make sure to maintain a braced core, neutral spine and never sacrifice technique in an attempt to move heavy weight.

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