Weighted Romanian Deadlift

Setup & Positioning

"Stand with feet about hip-width apart, holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs with palms facing you. Keep your knees slightly bent, core braced, and shoulders pulled back."

Key point: “Your knees stay soft throughout the movement—they don’t bend and straighten like in a squat.”

Execution

"Hinge at your hips by pushing them straight back while keeping your spine neutral. Let the bar or weights slide down along your thighs toward your shins. Lower until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings—usually just below the knees—while keeping the weights close to your body. Drive your hips forward to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top without leaning back."

Where You Should Feel It

• Hamstrings stretching and contracting
• Glutes engaging as you return to standing
• Core stabilizing your spine throughout the hinge

Where You Shouldn’t Feel It

• Lower back pain from rounding
• Knee strain from locking or hyperextending
• Shoulder discomfort from letting the weights drift forward

Breathing

"Inhale as you lower with control, exhale as you drive the hips forward to stand tall."

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Rounding the lower back – Keep the spine neutral from start to finish.
2. Squatting the weight down – The movement is a hip hinge, not a squat.
3. Letting the weight drift away from your body – Keep it close to your legs.
4. Hyperextending at the top – Stand tall without leaning backward.