This Month's Workout

Romanian Deadlift

Movement Library · Hamstrings, glutes · Major movement

The setup

Soft knees. Dumbbells resting on your thighs. Shoulders back, back flat.

The movement

Push the hips back, dumbbells sliding down the thighs. Feel the hamstrings stretch, then stand tall and squeeze the glutes. Tempo: 3 seconds down, 1 up.

Feel it here: hamstrings and glutes.

Not here: lower back. If the lower back takes over, the weight is too heavy or the back is rounding.

Check yourself

Back rounding at the bottom? Shorten the range and lighten the weight.
Knees traveling forward? This is a hinge, not a squat.
Dumbbells drifting away from the legs? Keep them brushing the thighs the whole way.

Weight (each hand): Beginner 5 to 8 kg (10 to 18 lb) · Intermediate 10 to 16 kg (22 to 35 lb) · Advanced 18 to 26 kg (40 to 58 lb)

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