Move · Videos · Technique · 13 min

Romanian Deadlift: Complete Technique Guide

Romanian Deadlift: Complete Technique Guide — video by E3 Rehab Play · 12:54

Video by E3 Rehab on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A physical therapist takes you through the RDL in five steps, adds drills for learning the hip hinge, and covers easier and harder versions with blocks, dumbbells or one leg.

  • 13 min
  • All levels
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • barbell, dumbbells
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Step by step 10

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  1. Set-up: feet about hip-width, hands just outside the legs, bar over mid-foot; brace and tighten your upper back. 1:22
  2. Descent: push your bottom back with shins near vertical and soft knees, keeping the bar close to your legs. 2:13
  3. Bottom: lift your bottom up and back to feel the hamstring stretch, stopping before your low back rounds. 3:04
  4. Ascent: push the floor away and drive the hips forward, finishing with a glute squeeze, no leaning back. 3:40
  5. Tips: neutral neck or slight chin tuck; if your low back always tires first, recheck your technique. 4:26
  6. More tips: lower over 2–4 seconds with a 2–3 second pause, keep breathing, and use straps if grip limits you. 5:36
  7. Hinge drills: a dowel along your back, a bench in front of the shins, tapping a wall, arms crossed, cat-cows. 6:27
  8. Easier and harder: tap blocks or plates to limit the range, stand on plates for a deficit, or use a Smith machine. 7:51
  9. Dumbbell RDLs, then kickstand and single-leg versions, holding support if balance limits you. 8:57
  10. Programming: around 6–12 reps, stopping 1–3 reps short of failure, with 2–5 minutes' rest. 10:53

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Brace your trunk and keep the bar close to your legs the whole way
  • Push your bottom up and back with a slight knee bend until the hamstrings stretch
  • Stop before your low back rounds, then drive the hips forward and squeeze the glutes

What it works

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Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Lower back takes loadholding a flat back while hinging under load
  • Hips takes loadRomanian deadlifts, hinging and driving hips forward
  • Wrists & hands movesgripping the barbell or dumbbells
  • Upper back movesbracing the lats and upper back
  • Knees movesslight knee bend while hinging

Easier option from the coach: Tap blocks or plates to set a comfortable depth; dumbbells or Smith machine

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by E3 Rehab; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety