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Romanian Deadlifts: Hinge Like You Mean It

The Romanian deadlift trains the glutes and hamstrings through a hip hinge. The bar stays close, the spine stays long, and the hips do the moving.

Romanian deadlift side view: start, hinge down, and stand tall with barbell — Romanian Deadlift movement illustrations

The prescription

Sets: 3–4 sets
Reps: 6–10 reps
Rest: 2 min
Time: About 12 min

Equipment. Barbell

Muscles. hamstrings, gluteus maximus. Also erectors, core

Starting position

Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of the thighs.
Stand with feet about hip width and a soft bend in the knees.
Brace the trunk before the first rep.

How to move

Push the hips backward as the weight travels down the thighs.
Keep the shins nearly vertical and the back long. Stop when the hips cannot travel back any farther without the spine rounding.
Feel the hamstrings load, then drive the hips forward to stand.
Squeeze the glutes at the top without leaning back.

Common mistakes

Turning the hinge into a squat by bending the knees a lot.
Rounding the lower back to chase a lower bar position.
Letting the weight drift away from the legs.

Variations

Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Progressions

Add load.
Pause for a second at the bottom of the hinge.

Regressions

Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Bodyweight hip hinge

Safety

Stop if you feel sharp pain, joint pinch, or symptoms that are not ordinary muscle effort.
This is general technique education, not a personal clearance to train through an injury.
Range of motion is set by your hamstrings and a neutral spine, not by how low someone else can go.

All Cheeked Up publishes general fitness education. It is not medical advice, physical therapy, or a promise that your body will change. Stop any exercise that causes pain and talk with a qualified professional about injuries, pregnancy, or health conditions before you train.

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Programs that use it