The Romanian deadlift is a variation of the conventional deadlift exercise for the lower body. It differs from conventional deadlifts in that it places more emphasis on the hamstring and glute during the movement. This variation also places less stress on the lower back, making it a good choice for those with injuries or lower back pain.
The Romanian deadlift is normally performed with less weight and reps than a regular deadlift. This is because the movement is slower and more controlled than a regular deadlift.
How To Do The Romanian Deadlift
You can perform the lift using a barbell, a dumbbell, a trap bar, or a hex bar.
The Romanian deadlift is performed as follows:
- Stand with your toes pointed straight ahead, knees slightly bent and your hands elevated on a high bar.
- Keeping your knees and hips locked in a position of slight extension, lower the weight as if to perform a conventional deadlift until it touches the ground or until the hamstrings reach their maximum contraction (at which point you should pause for 2-3 seconds).
- Return to the starting position by contracting your hamstrings and glutes and straightening your back, arms and knees until your torso is again erect.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Romanian Deadlift Muscles Worked
The Romanian Deadlift works the following muscles:
- Hamstrings
- Glutes
- Quadriceps (front of thigh)
Compared to the traditional deadlift , the Romanian Deadlift places more emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes. It also places less stress on the lower back, since the back is in a more neutral position during execution of this variation.
The Romanian deadlift works all of the muscles in your legs: your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings and calves. It also works your abs, lower back and shoulders.
Benefits of the Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift gives you a more isolated workout for the hamstrings and glutes than the conventional deadlift. If you’re looking to target those muscles, this variation is a good option.
Here are the main benefits of the Romanian deadlift
- Like the traditional deadlift, the Romanian Deadlift builds strength and power in your legs. It also improves both muscular and cardiovascular endurance.
- Because it places significantly less stress on your lower back than the conventional deadlift, it is a good exercise choice for those with lower back issues.
- Because it allows you to perform each repetition more slowly than a regular deadlift, this variation provides increased activation of your hamstring muscles, as well as improved flexibility of your hips.
- Because of the emphasis it places on the hamstrings, glutes and calves, this exercise is very functional. It works well for strengthening your legs for sports such as football and Rugby, where speed, power and agility are vital attributes.
- The Romanian Deadlift offers a full range of motion compared to the conventional deadlift. It gives you more options when performing it at a gym or home gym.
Romanian Deadlift Variations
There are several variants of the Romanian deadlift. They all place more emphasis on the hamstrings and glutes than the conventional deadlift.
- Performed with a kettlebell is an exercise that can be performed inside a gym or home gym depending on the size of the kettlebell you use. This variation uses one kettlebell and employs the side-mount movement described above. This movement is easy to perform since it does not require much time to lock your knees and hips in position.
- Performed with the Hex Plate is a similar exercise to the kettlebell variant. It is a very simple and effective variation of the Romanian deadlift that uses only one bar. The Hex Plate has handles spaced just wide enough apart so that you don’t have to get too close to it in order to lock your knees and hips in position.
- The use of an elastic band can add resistance to your Romanian deadlift. This is an effective way of making it harder to perform this exercise.
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQs)
No. They both target the same muscles. The RDL is a more controlled movement, however, and isn’t as taxing on the body.
Yes . The Romanian Deadlift is a compound exercise, since it involves more than one joint and muscle group.
You need to make sure your form is correct. Keep your knees slightly bent at all times and focus your attention on keeping your back straight. You also need to squeeze your glutes as you raise the weight back up.
Conclusion
Even if you’re a beginner, don’t be afraid to try the Romanian deadlift. This variation of the deadlift places more emphasis on your hamstrings and glutes than the conventional deadlift, while still allowing you to enjoy a full range of motion.
The Romanian Deadlift can also be used as one of many bodyweight exercises to target all of your muscle groups. It has several other benefits as well, such as working your abs and lower back. The Romanian Deadlift gives you a great workout for the muscles in your legs. Just remember to start with light weights until you get used to it.