How to do the Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Stand holding the bar in front of your thighs with your knees slightly bent.
Push your hips back and lower the bar close to your legs with a flat back.
Go down until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, usually just below the knees.
Stand up by driving your hips forward and squeezing your glutes.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 8–12 | 2 min |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 15–20 | 1 min |
When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add 5 kg (10 lb) next session and work back up.
Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
The hamstrings bend the knee and extend the hip, so train both: hinges like Romanian deadlifts and leg curls.
Alternatives
Same muscles, similar movement: swap in one of these if the Barbell Romanian Deadlift doesn’t suit your gym or your joints.
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