Romanian Deadlift

Intermediatelower-body

Stand tall, weight at hip level, arms straight.

Hinge at the hips with a slight knee bend, sliding the weight down your legs. The king of hamstring and glute development.

Key points

•Hip hinge — push your butt back
•Slight bend in the knees throughout
•Bar or weight stays close to the legs
•Feel the stretch in your hamstrings

Practice with Coach Marcus

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is the premier hip-hinge exercise, targeting the posterior chain — hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Unlike a conventional deadlift that starts from the floor, the RDL starts from standing. Hold the weight with straight arms and push your hips back while maintaining a slight knee bend. The weight should travel close to your legs as your torso tips forward. Lower until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings (typically when the weight reaches mid-shin), then drive your hips forward to return to standing. The key is keeping your back flat throughout — never round your spine under load.

Fun Fact

The Romanian deadlift got its name when Romanian Olympic weightlifter Nicu Vlad was spotted doing this exercise at a training camp in San Francisco in 1990 — American coaches had never seen the movement before and named it after his nationality!

Watch the real thing

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