- EquipmentCable
- PatternHinge
- Reps8 to 15 reps
- Joint loadLower back
Attach a straight bar to a low cable. Hold it in front of your thighs and step back so there is tension, feet hip width apart and knees soft.
First cueHips back, not chest down.
How to do the Cable Romanian Deadlift
Set up. Attach a straight bar to a low cable. Hold it in front of your thighs and step back so there is tension, feet hip width apart and knees soft.
- Push your hips back and let the bar travel down your legs.
- Keep your back flat.
- Lower to a strong hamstring stretch.
- Drive the hips forward to stand tall.
Form cues
- Hips back, not chest down.
- Keep the knee bend fixed.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back.
- Turning it into a squat.
Muscles worked
Main target: Hamstrings. The hamstrings run down the back of the thigh. They bend the knee and extend the hip, which is why both a curl and a hinge train them.
On the way: Glutes and Lower back.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Cable Romanian Deadlift, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Hack Squat Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Cable Romanian Deadlift first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Cable Romanian Deadlift 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Hack Squat 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Seated Leg Curl
Machine
Less load on the lower back
Nordic Curl
The Cable Romanian Deadlift loads the lower back by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Romanian Deadlift.
Other variations of the Romanian Deadlift: Stiff-Leg Deadlift, Good Morning, Broomstick Hip Hinge, Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift and Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift.
Do before it: Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter), Cat-Cow (bracing) and Glute Bridge (glutes switched on).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Cable Romanian Deadlift is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Cable Romanian Deadlift?
Set up: Attach a straight bar to a low cable. Hold it in front of your thighs and step back so there is tension, feet hip width apart and knees soft. Steps: 1. Push your hips back and let the bar travel down your legs. 2. Keep your back flat. 3. Lower to a strong hamstring stretch. 4. Drive the hips forward to stand tall. Form cues: Hips back, not chest down. Keep the knee bend fixed. Squeeze the glutes at the top. Common mistakes: Rounding the back. Turning it into a squat.
What muscles does the Cable Romanian Deadlift work?
It trains the hamstrings as its main target and works the glutes and lower back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Cable Romanian Deadlift?
At home: Stiff-Leg Deadlift. In a gym: Seated Leg Curl. With less load on the lower back: Nordic Curl. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Cable Romanian Deadlift with?
Good partners in the same workout are Hack Squat, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Cable Romanian Deadlift be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.