Romanian Deadlift
The romanian deadlift is a hip hinge exercise that primarily trains the hamstrings and glutes, with the erector spinae and forearms assisting. Equipment: barbell. Suited to intermediate lifters.
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings And Glutes
- Secondary muscles
- erector spinae and forearms
- Muscle group
- back
- Equipment
- barbell
- Movement pattern
- Hip Hinge
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Also searched as
- rdl, rdls, romanian deadlifts
Complete romanian deadlift guides
- Proper formRomanian Deadlift: Proper Form, Step by StepDefinitive Romanian deadlift form guide: setup, hinge cues, breathing, tempo, common mistakes and fixes—safety-first, evidence-aware instructions for barbell or dumbbell RDLs.
- Muscles workedRomanian Deadlift: Muscles Worked and Best AlternativesWhich muscles the Romanian deadlift trains, where it fits in a program, and 4 practical alternatives—when to pick each for equipment, injuries, or plateaus.
- Sets and repsHow Many Sets and Reps for the Romanian Deadlift?Practical, evidence-aware set/rep/frequency ranges for the Romanian deadlift by goal (strength, hypertrophy, endurance), progression guidance, and clear signals to add weight or reps.
- Common mistakesThe Most Common Romanian Deadlift Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)Fix the 6 most common Romanian deadlift (RDL) mistakes—why they happen, what they cost, and one concrete fix for each to improve strength and safety.
- At-home alternativesRomanian Deadlift Alternatives at Home (Minimal Equipment)Four practical at-home substitutes for the Romanian deadlift using bodyweight, dumbbells or bands, what they keep/lose versus the barbell RDL, and when to return to the gym.
Related exercises
Train the same muscles or the same movement pattern.
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