Romanian deadlift

4 × 8-10  ·  Equipment: Barbell & plates

Muscle groups: Legs & glutes

How to do romanian deadlift

1. Stand with the bar at thigh height using a shoulder-width grip.
2. Brace your core and keep a neutral spine with your chest high.
3. Hinge at the hips pushing your glutes back while keeping your knees slightly bent.
4. Slide the bar close to your thighs lowering your torso until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
5. Stop when your torso is almost parallel to the floor and the bar is at shin height.
6. Drive through your glutes and hamstrings to stand back up.
7. Exhale on the way up and keep your back flat through the whole movement.

Mistakes to avoid

• Don't round your back on the way down; keep the spine neutral with a braced core.
• Don't lower past a comfortable hamstring stretch; if your back rounds, that's your limit.
• Don't bend your knees too much; this is a hip-hinge movement.
• Stop and reduce the weight if you feel pain in your lower back or hamstrings.

Progression

• Start with an empty bar or light weight and master the hip hinge with a neutral spine.
• Add 5-10 kg once you keep the technique through the 4 sets.
• Add a 1-second pause at the deepest stretch to raise time under tension.
• After several weeks, add reps or switch to the dumbbell version.