- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternHinge
- Reps6 to 12 reps
- Joint loadLower back
Stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, feet hip width apart and knees softly bent.
First cueThink hips back, not chest down.
How to do the Romanian Deadlift
Set up. Stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, feet hip width apart and knees softly bent.
- Push your hips back and let the bar slide down the front of your legs.
- Keep your back flat and the knee bend fixed.
- Lower until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings, usually around mid-shin.
- Drive your hips forward to stand back up.
Form cues
- Think hips back, not chest down.
- Keep the bar against your legs.
- Keep the shins nearly vertical.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back to reach lower.
- Bending the knees more so it becomes 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 Romanian Deadlift, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back 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 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.
- Romanian Deadlift 3 × 6 to 12 reps
- Back Squat 3 × 3 to 12 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
Cable Romanian Deadlift
Cable
Less load on the lower back
Leg Curl
From the app's workaround table: less load through a bending spine.
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
Its variations: Stiff-Leg Deadlift, Good Morning, Broomstick Hip Hinge, Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift, Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift and Cable Romanian Deadlift.
Do before it: Cat-Cow (bracing), Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter) and Glute Bridge (glutes switched on).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the 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 Romanian Deadlift?
Set up: Stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip about shoulder width apart, feet hip width apart and knees softly bent. Steps: 1. Push your hips back and let the bar slide down the front of your legs. 2. Keep your back flat and the knee bend fixed. 3. Lower until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings, usually around mid-shin. 4. Drive your hips forward to stand back up. Form cues: Think hips back, not chest down. Keep the bar against your legs. Keep the shins nearly vertical. Common mistakes: Rounding the back to reach lower. Bending the knees more so it becomes a squat.
What muscles does the 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 Romanian Deadlift?
At home: Stiff-Leg Deadlift. In a gym: Cable Romanian Deadlift. With less load on the lower back: Leg Curl. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Romanian Deadlift with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Squat, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the 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.