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Romanian Deadlift

Romanian Deadlift trains 6 of the 18 muscle groups Full Coverage tracks: Hamstrings 90%, Lower back / erectors 70%, Glutes 60%, Forearms 30%, Mid-back / traps 15%, Adductors (inner thigh) 15%.

Backbone movement Level: Intermediate Barbell Pull Easy on the kneesEasy on the shoulders

Romanian Deadlift - Start position
Start position
Romanian Deadlift - Finish position
Finish position

How to do it

  1. Set up as if deadlifting, but start standing with the bar at your hips, hands just outside your thighs.
  2. Soften your knees and keep them there - this is a hip movement, not a squat.
  3. Push your hips straight back and let the bar slide down your thighs.
  4. Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually around mid-shin.
  5. Drive your hips forward to stand. Keep the bar touching your legs the whole way - if it drifts, your lower back takes the load.

Muscles it trains

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

Light Main

How it compares

Compared with the Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, it loads Mid-back / traps 15 points higher, Forearms 5 points lower. It needs Barbell where the other uses Dumbbells. Compared with the Barbell Hip Thrust, it loads Lower back / erectors 70 points higher, Hamstrings 65 points higher, Glutes 40 points lower. It needs Barbell where the other uses Barbell + Bench.

Other ways to train this

Other exercises for the Hamstrings

Related guides

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

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