Romanian deadlift
A hinge variation focused on the back of the legs, lowering the weight without returning it to the floor.
Overview
The Romanian deadlift, often shortened to RDL, is a hip-hinge variation that emphasises the back of the legs. Starting from standing, you push your hips back and lower the weight down the front of your legs with only a slight knee bend, then drive your hips forward to stand tall again.
Unlike a standard deadlift, the weight usually stops short of the floor, keeping continuous tension on the hamstrings and glutes. It is a popular way to learn and feel the hinge pattern, and it can be done with a barbell or dumbbells.
The movement
- 1Stand tall holding the weight in front of your thighs with a soft knee bend.
- 2Push your hips back and slide the weight down your legs.
- 3Lower until you feel a stretch along the back of your legs, keeping the back long.
- 4Drive your hips forward to return to standing.
Beginner notes
- The knees stay softly bent but mostly fixed as the hips do the moving.
- A gentle stretch felt along the back of the legs is normal at the bottom.
- A good movement for learning to feel the hip hinge.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Weightlifting
A technical strength sport built around lifting a loaded barbell overhead with speed and control.
Running
The most accessible endurance sport — no venue, just shoes and the open road or trail.
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
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Movement patterns
- HingeA hip-dominant pattern: bend forward at the hips with a flat back, minimal knee bend, then drive the hips tall — powers pulling from the floor and jumping.
- DecelerationThe athletic pattern of actively braking and absorbing momentum to slow or stop under control, producing eccentric forces that oppose the direction of travel.
Techniques
- DeadliftA strength exercise that lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees together.
- Bodyweight SquatA foundational lower-body exercise that lowers the hips by bending the knees and hips, then stands back up, using only body weight.
- Cycling CadenceThe technique of pedalling at a smooth, steady rhythm and choosing a gear that keeps the legs turning efficiently.
Skills
Movement comparisons
- Hinge vs LungeHinge vs Lunge: how these two movements differ, what they share, and how to tell them apart — from mechanics to the sports that use them.
- Hinge vs SquatHinge vs Squat: how these two movements differ, what they share, and how to tell them apart — from mechanics to the sports that use them.
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How this page is maintained
- Content type
- Exercise
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
- Verified external sources
- 0
- Content updated
- 2026-07-06
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