The Romanian Deadlift For Hamstrings, Glutes & Lower Back

Deadlifts are hailed as the king of posterior chain exercises since they literally work you from the top of your traps to the bottom of your calves, most notably working your glutes, hamstring and lower back.

For me, it’s the lift I enjoy the most: lifting that heavy, dead weight from the floor; feeling each muscle engage and tighten as you do is beyond satisfying!

The Romanian deadlift is a variation of the compound move which will hammer your posterior chain even harder since it requires a straighter angle at your knees, meaning even more load is transferred through your hamstrings, with less support from your quads.

To Perform:

– The rep actually starts from the top (rather than from the floor like a standard deadlift) so either deadlift the bar to standing or have the bar racked at hip height and lift from there;
– Hold the bar with a pronated grip (both hands over the top), if your grip is struggling as the weight increases you may want to use lifting straps;
– Feet should be hip width apart with the toes pointed forwards;
– Lean forwards, pushing your glutes backwards and keeping your shins upright so the load is transferred to your posterior;
– The bar should travel directly down from the shoulders, close to the body;
– Focus on keeping your shoulders back, chest up and back in straight alignment;
– Never, EVER lift with a rounded back. If your back is starting to round then you’ve gone beyond your current range of movement or the weight is too heavy!

Watch the video below to check the correct form of the Romanian Deadlifts for hamstrings. Remember to always train to your current level of mobility, so only ever lower the bar to the point where you can maintain a flat back.