Hinge
Romanian Deadlift
What it works
Mainly: Hamstrings, Glutes. Also: Lower back, Grip.
Setup
Start standing with the bar at your hips, knees softly bent and staying that way throughout.
How it goes
Push your hips back and let the bar slide down your thighs until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings — usually somewhere around mid-shin. Drive the hips forward to stand.
Two things people get wrong
- Turning it into a squat by bending the knees more as you descend.
- Going deeper than your hamstrings allow and rounding the lower back to get there.
If the kit’s busy
Dumbbell RDL, or a single-leg version with a lighter weight.
In these programmes
These are setup and execution cues, not coaching. If something hurts, stop — and if you're training around an injury or a health condition, get a professional's eyes on it first.