Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Romanian Deadlift is for lifters with a base already built and works before or after your main squat.
How to do Barbell Romanian Deadlift
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward.
- Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend at the hips, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent.
- Lower the barbell towards the ground, keeping it close to your body.
- Feel the stretch in your hamstrings as you lower the barbell.
- Once you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, push your hips forward and stand up straight.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Romanian Deadlift Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
5 sets of 2-4 reps with 3-5 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Hypertrophy
4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Endurance
3-4 sets of 18-25 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Common Barbell Romanian Deadlift Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Romanian Deadlift
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Barbell Romanian Deadlift — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Romanian Deadlift?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend at the hips, keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Romanian Deadlift work?
The Barbell Romanian Deadlift primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Romanian Deadlift should I do?
For muscle growth: 4-5 sets of 6-10 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Romanian Deadlift good for beginners?
Not usually. The Barbell Romanian Deadlift is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier legs progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Romanian Deadlift?
Try the Single Leg Squat (pistol) Male, Smith Hack Squat or the Dumbbell Plyo Squat. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
