How to do a dumbbell Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift, or RDL, is a hip hinge: your hips travel back while your back stays long. It strengthens your hamstrings and glutes and pairs well with the hip thrust.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: start position — Start

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: finish position — Finish

Muscles worked

Main: Hamstrings, Glutes. Helping: Lower back, Grip.

Set up

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
Soften your knees slightly and keep that small bend the whole time.
Pull your shoulders back and down so your upper back is set.

One rep, step by step

Push your hips straight back as if closing a car door with your bum.
Let the dumbbells slide down the front of your legs, staying close to you.
Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings — usually just below the knee — with your back still flat.
Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips forward to stand back up.

What to think about

Hips go back, not down — this is not a squat.
Keep the weights so close they almost touch your legs.
Long neck: look at the floor a couple of metres ahead.

Common mistakes

Rounding your back to reach lower.
Bending the knees more as you go down.
Leaning back or overarching at the top.

Breathing

Breathe in at the top before you hinge, breathe out as you stand back up.

Make it easier or harder

Easier: Hip hinge with no weight, hands sliding down your thighs. Harder: Dumbbell Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift.

Sets and reps to start with

These are the starting numbers Glowra gives each level for the dumbbell romanian deadlift. Pick a weight that makes the last two reps hard but still tidy.

Level	Sets	Reps	Rest	Effort
Beginner	2	10–12	1:30	7 out of 10
Intermediate	3	8–12	1:30	8 out of 10
Advanced	4	6–10	2:00	8 out of 10
Expert	5	4–8	2:30	9 out of 10

"Effort" is how hard the set feels: 7 means you could have done about three more reps, 9 means one more.

Glowra shares general fitness information only. It is not medical, health or diet advice. If you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant, speak to a qualified professional before training.