Romanian Deadlift | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Hamstrings, glutes
Secondary muscles: Calves, lower back
Equipment: Dumbbells

ROMANIAN DEADLIFT INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stand up tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Push your hips back and lower the dumbbells, while keeping your legs straight or only slightly bent.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

When doing the romanian deadlift keep your chest open, your shoulders back and maintain your back and arms completely straight at all times. Do the movement slowly and breathe out as you lower the dumbbells. Push through the heels to get back up and squeeze your glutes at the end of each repetition.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The romanian deadlift targets the back of the legs and glutes, and strengthens the lower back and calves. This exercise strengthens the muscles around critical tendons and ligaments and helps to prevent injuries in the hamstrings and lower back.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

If your goal is to build strength and gain muscle, use heavier weights and do sets of 6 to 8 repetitions. If you want lean and long muscles, use lighter dumbbells and do 2 or 3 sets of 12 to 16 repetitions.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the romanian deadlift, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED LOWER BODY EXERCISES

Try these other lower body exercises to strengthen, sculpt and tone your thighs, hips, legs and glutes:
Wall sit
Bulgarian split squat
Lying hamstring curls
Pistol squat

WORKOUT ROUTINES