The Romanian deadlift is a hinge with nearly straight legs: hamstrings and glutes under stretch while your back holds a flat position.
1Starting position2End position
Setup
Take the bar from the rack at hip height or lift it off the floor and stand tall. Shoulder-width grip, knees soft and barely changing angle from there. Shoulder blades back, abs braced.
Execution
Stand tall, take the bar with an overhand grip a bit wider than shoulder-width, knees slightly bent — starting position.
Inhale and push your hips back, lowering the bar along your legs, back straight, knees barely moving.
Exhale and drive your hips forward back to the starting position.
Common mistakes
Squatting instead of hinging — push your hips back, don't drive your knees forward.
Back rounds at the bottom — go only as low as you can keep it flat.
Bar drifts away from your legs — keep it in contact with your thighs.
Chasing weight — this lift is about stretch and control more than kilos.
