Romanian Deadlift

The Romanian deadlift is a barbell strength exercise where you hinge at the hips with only a slight bend in the knees. It primarily trains the hamstrings and glutes, while the muscles along your spine work to keep your back steady.

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your toes pointing forward or slightly outward. Hold a barbell with straight arms just outside your legs, resting it against your thighs. Pull your shoulder blades down and back, brace your midsection, and set your spine in a neutral position from your neck to your tailbone.

Push your hips straight back and slide the bar down the front of your legs. Let your knees bend only a little as you lower the bar to just below your knees or to mid-shin, stopping when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings. Then drive your hips forward, stand tall, and squeeze your glutes at the top. Keep the bar close to your body throughout the rep.

Breathe in and brace your core before you hinge, then exhale as you return to standing. To make the exercise easier, use less weight or shorten the range of motion. To make it harder, slow down the lowering portion of each rep.

Fault: Rounding the lower back as the bar lowers. Fix: Keep your chest up and ribs down, maintaining a straight line from your hips to your shoulders.

Fault: Bending the knees too much and turning the movement into a squat. Fix: Focus on pushing your hips back, not sitting down; keep only a soft bend in your knees and feel tension in your hamstrings.

Fault: Letting the bar drift away from the legs. Fix: Slide the bar along your thighs and shins throughout the rep; reset your position if it rolls forward.

Fault: Lowering the bar too far and losing spinal position. Fix: Stop when you feel a strong hamstring stretch or when your back begins to round, whichever happens first.