Exercise Tutorial: Romanian Deadlift

Table of Contents

What Is a Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian Deadlift is a style of deadlift that targets the Glutes and the Hamstrings more than the conventional Deadlift exercise would. This is because of the stiff-legged nature of this exercise, which places more emphasis on your hip hinge, and less stress on the Quadriceps.

The Romanian Deadlift is an effective exercise to build strength in the Glutes and Hamstrings. The best part is that many people do not have access to a barbell at home, so the use of dumbbells are a great alternative to allow you to achieve strength gains!

How to Do a Romanian Deadlift

Learning how to do the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift is very simple, especially if you have performed the conventional Deadlift before! Follow these steps to learn how to do the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift:

1. Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab a pair of dumbbells. You can either place the weight in front of the body or at your sides.

2. Weight must be evenly distributed within your feet. Stand tall, and pull your shoulder blades back, inhale and brace your abs.

3. Slowly descend forward with your torso and push your hips back. Maintain a natural arch in the spine and keep your chest proud throughout.

4. As you descend, your shoulders should be over the top of the dumbbells, keep the dumbbells close into your body, and glide them down to shin level (close into your center of gravity). When the dumbbells pass the knees, don’t allow the hips to sink further.

5. Lower the dumbbells until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings. Your knees should remain slightly bent, do not lock them out.

6. Exhale as you ascend into triple extension/upright position and be sure to contract your glute muscles.

How to Do a Barbell Romanian Deadlift

Learning to perform the Barbell Romanian Deadlift is straightforward, especially if you're familiar with the conventional deadlift. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart and place a barbell in front of you.

2. Grip the barbell just outside your thighs with an overhand or mixed grip, standing tall with your shoulders pulled back, and your core braced.

3. Slowly hinge forward at the hips, pushing your hips back while maintaining a natural arch in your spine and keeping your chest lifted.

4. Keep the barbell close to your body as you glide it down your thighs toward shin level. Ensure that your shoulders stay over the bar and avoid letting your hips sink as you lower.

5. Lower the barbell until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, maintaining a slight bend in your knees without locking them.

6. Exhale as you return to a standing position, driving your hips forward and contracting your glutes to complete the movement.

This form helps target the hamstrings and glutes, focusing on control and range of motion for maximum effectiveness.

Romanian Deadlift Form

Proper form is the most important thing during the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift. In fact, many who are new to the hip hinge will use the Romanian Deadlift to learn the proper movement pattern. Executing the hip hinge correctly is important because it reduces your risk of injury and will also translate to your other lifts. Excessive flexion or extension of the spine during the Romanian Deadlift can result in injury and muscular imbalance. When performing the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, remember to,

• Distribute your weight evenly throughout the mid-foot

• Do not lock out the knees!

• Keep the shoulders down and back

• Maintain a neutral spine

• Perform the movement slowly and with control

Romanian Deadlift Benefits

The Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift is a fantastic compound movement to include into your back day or full body training routine as it strengthens the posterior chain muscles. The Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift improves hip mobility, hamstring flexibility and improves any muscular imbalances.

The Romanian Deadlift with dumbbells and Romanian Deadlift with barbell offer very similar benefits. Dumbbells are a great alternative as you can maneuver them differently, such as holding the dumbbells in front of the quadriceps or parallel/at the sides of your feet (i.e. suitcase deadlift or hex bar deadlifts).

Working with dumbbells, I personally find presents a unique challenge for the core stabilizers. You will also develop strong forearm and grip strength, as more work is required to keep the dumbbells in place and hold them in position throughout execution.

Romanian Deadlift Muscles Worked

• Gluteus Maximus

• Hamstrings

• Trapezius

• Latissimus Dorsi

• Erector Spinae

• Soleus

• Core

• Forearms Flexors

• Adductor Muscles

Why Is the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Useful

The Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift is a great option for novice lifters or anyone who has hip mobility issues as you can modify your range as required. In the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, the hips usually sit high, and not everyone possesses the mobility to hip hinge and place load on the spine in a forward bend or reach position.

This is a movement which you can constantly modify and if you cannot reach shin level. Simply limit your range, focus on lengthening your spine and do not bring the dumbbells further down. Or, another option would be to begin with lightweight and gradually add in load when the hips and spine are ready to do so.

Incorporating Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts into your training routine can assist your other lifts as it teaches the proper biomechanics of standing hip flexion and extension. The Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift is also a functional and foundational movement (i.e. squats in the gym & the everyday bending and lifting objects) When the hip hinge is executed correctly, we lessen the risk of experiencing discomfort or pain in the lumbar spine.

Romanian Deadlift Variations

The Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift has a few different variations that will help to provide variety in your exercise routine:

• Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

• Landmine Deadlift

• Barbell Deadlift

• Dumbbell Deadlift

• Hex Bar Deadlift

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Wall Assisted

Here you will perform the same Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift movement, the only difference is we’re working towards mastering the hip hinge position. For more low back support and stability in the hips simply place your derriere up against a wall, pivot through your hip flexors and perform the movement.

This modification will assist you with gaining further postural awareness. You should also be able to feel a great stretch in the hamstrings and glutes. Keep in mind that in order for us to improve, we must break down the mechanics and this is a great way to begin!

Romanian Deadlift Alternatives

There are many alternatives to the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift if you do not have access to dumbbells, or are just looking for more exercises that involve the hip hinge. Some Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift alternative include,

• Kettlebell Swing

• Barbell Deadlift

• Good Morning

• Glute Bridge

• Back Extensions 

Romanian Deadlift Technique

Both form and technique are important when performing the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift. The technique of the hip hinge can be hard to learn, especially if you have been performing it incorrectly. Remember that as you descend with the dumbbells, you are pushing the hips back, almost like you as taking a seat in a chair. Keep your chest tall and do not allow the shoulders to sag during the movement.

With consistent performance and coaching, you can learn how to perform the hip hinge correctly. It can help to use a mirror when performing the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift to see if you are doing things such as elevating the shoulders or arching the spine.

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