Dumbbell Deadlift

How to do it

1. Stand with dumbbells in front of your thighs, feet hip-width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbells along your legs with a flat back.
3. Keep the dumbbells close to your shins throughout the descent.
4. Drive through your heels to return to standing.
5. Extend your hips fully at the top without hyperextending your lower back.

Muscles it trains

Percent of one session's target for that muscle. Anything at 100% finishes that muscle on its own.

How it compares

Compared with the Romanian Deadlift, it loads Quads 30 points higher, Hamstrings 20 points lower, Mid-back / traps 15 points lower. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Barbell. Compared with the Step-Ups, it loads Lower back / erectors 60 points higher, Quads 55 points lower, Abductors (outer hip) 40 points lower. It needs Dumbbells where the other uses Dumbbells + Bench.

Other ways to train this

• Romanian Deadlift BarbellIntermediate
• Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift DumbbellsIntermediate
• Good Morning BarbellProfessional
• Smith Machine RDL Smith machine
• Conventional Deadlift BarbellProfessional
• Cable Pull-Through Cable machine
• Kettlebell Swing KettlebellsIntermediate
• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift DumbbellsIntermediate
• Band Good Morning Resistance bands
• Sumo Deadlift BarbellProfessional
• Bodyweight Good Morning Bodyweight
• Band Romanian Deadlift Resistance bands
• Kettlebell Deadlift KettlebellsIntermediate
• Stiff-Leg Deadlift BarbellProfessional
• Rack Pull BarbellIntermediate
• Trap-Bar Deadlift BarbellIntermediate
• Smith Machine Good Morning Smith machine
• Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift Kettlebells

Other exercises for the Hamstrings

• Step-Ups 35% DumbbellsBenchIntermediate
• Dumbbell Windmill 35% DumbbellsIntermediate
• Bulgarian Split Squat 30% DumbbellsBenchIntermediate
• Sumo Goblet Squat 20% Dumbbells

Exercise illustrations and data by RepDB (repdb.co), used under licence.