Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)

A hip-hinge movement using dumbbells that emphasizes hamstring and lower back development. Keep your legs relatively straight while hinging at the hips to lower the weights along your legs.

Instructions

1. Stand upright with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing inward.
2. Maintain a slight bend in your knees—this bend should remain constant throughout the movement.
3. Hinge at the hips, pushing your buttocks backward while keeping your chest up and shoulders back.
4. Lower the dumbbells along the front of your legs until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, maintaining a neutral spine.
5. Drive through your heels and extend your hips to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Tips

• Keep your lower back neutral and engaged; do not allow it to round.
• Feel the stretch in your hamstrings at the bottom—this indicates proper range of motion.
• Move the dumbbells close to your legs throughout the movement.
• Maintain a rigid torso position and avoid excessively rounding your spine.
• This is a hip-dominant movement, not a knee-dominant one like a squat.
• Perfect your form with lighter weights before adding significant load.