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Strength Training · Bodybuilding

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift trains your hamstrings and glutes by lowering weights with a backward hip movement, then returning to standing. Each rep starts from the top rather than the floor.

  • Intermediate
  • Compound
  • Moderate injury risk
  • Rest 1 min 30 sec
Video by Davis Diley on YouTube

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs.
  2. Bend your knees slightly.
  3. Lower the dumbbells by pushing your hips backward.
  4. Stop when you feel a firm hamstring stretch, usually with the weights between knee height and mid-shin.
  5. Return to standing by driving your hips forward.

Form cues

  • Brace your belly before you lower.
  • Keep your whole foot planted.
  • Let your arms hang long.
  • Keep your neck aligned with your back.

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the weights downKeep your shins nearly vertical instead of letting your knees travel forward as you descend.
  • Letting the weights drift forwardKeep the dumbbells close enough to skim your legs throughout the rep.
  • Reaching for the floorShorten the descent if your lower back starts rounding, regardless of how low the weights reach.
  • Leaning back at the topFinish with your ribs stacked over your pelvis rather than thrusting your chest upward.

Safety

Excessive weight, fatigue, or forcing the bottom position can strain your lower back or hamstrings. Losing your grip can drop a dumbbell onto your foot.

  • Practice the hip movement with light dumbbells before increasing the load.
  • Lower smoothly without bouncing out of the bottom.
  • End the set when your grip starts slipping or you cannot control the weights.
  • After the final rep, bend at your hips and knees to place the dumbbells securely on the floor.

If you have current back pain or a recent hamstring injury, ask a physiotherapist or doctor whether a lighter, shorter-range version is appropriate.

Muscles worked

Back

Primary muscles

  • Hamstrings

Secondary muscles

  • Glutes
  • Lower Back

Equipment

  • Dumbbell

Sets and reps

Sets
2–3
Target
8–12 reps
Rest
1 min 30 sec

Choose a weight that leaves you able to complete about two more controlled reps.

Variations

Harder