• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
X
  • Start Here
    • Start Here – The Hashi Mashi Plan
    • How to lose 20 pounds in 3 months
    • Benefits of losing 20 pounds
    • How to lose 75lbs in 6 months
    • Lose belly fat by lifting weights
    • Deadlift calories burned
    • Deadlift for fat loss
    • The Obesity Code summary
    • Clean Eating for Beginners
    • Keto vs Clean Eating
    • 40 40 20 Diet Plan
  • Exercises
    • Deadlifts
      • Deadlift muscles worked
      • Benefits of deadlifts
      • How to deadlift
      • Deadlift accessory lifts
      • Deadlift alternative for bad back
    • Squats
      • Squat muscles worked
      • Benefits of squats
      • How to squat
      • Squat accessory lifts
      • Squats for body transformation
    • Bench Press
      • Bench Press Benefits
      • Improve Your Bench
      • Incline vs Flat Bench Press
      • Floor Press VS Bench Press
    • Power Cleans
      • Power Cleans Muscles Worked
      • Power Clean VS Deadlift
      • Power Clean VS Squat Clean
    • Overhead Presses
      • Overhead Press Muscles Worked
      • Overhead Press Accessory Exercises
    • Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
      • Neutral grip pull-ups muscles worked
      • Pull Ups benefits, muscles worked
      • Chin Up Muscles Worked
      • Chin-Ups vs Pull-Ups
    • Push-ups
      • 100 pushups a day
      • Pushup muscles worked
      • Benefits of pushups
      • Exercises to Improve Pushups
  • Workouts
    • 3×5 workout program
    • Army prt exercises
    • Strength Training for Men Over 50
    • Bodybuilding over 50 workout routine + PDF
    • Weightlift for weight loss
    • Minimalist training
    • Powerbuilding program + PDF
    • Beginner deadlift workout routine
    • Deadlift Program
    • Beginner squat workout routine
    • 5/3/1 for Beginners
    • 5 Types of Workouts to Change Your Body
  • Body Transformation
    • Body Transformation Guide
    • How deadlifts change your body
    • Getting Fit at 50 before and after photos
    • Swimming body transformation
    • 12-week body transformation plan
    • How rowing changes your body
    • Running body transformation
    • Rock climbing body transformation
    • How cycling changes your body
    • Assault bike body transformation
    • Skinny fat to muscular
    • CrossFit Body Transformation
    • How kickboxing changes your body
  • Equipment
    • Weightlifting
      • Olympic Barbells
      • Elbow Sleeves
      • Knee Sleeves
      • Weightlifting Shoes
      • Weightlifting Belts
      • Gifts for Weightlifters
      • Bumper Plates
      • Dumbbells
      • Weight Benches
      • Cable Machines
    • Deadlift Equipment
      • Best shoes for squats & deadlifts
      • Deadlift shin guards
      • Deadlift bars
      • DIY deadlift platform
      • Best lifting straps
      • Deadlift socks
    • Calisthenics
      • Calisthenic Equipment
      • Weighted Vests
      • Resistance Bands
      • Power Towers
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein Powders
      • Supplements for Men Over 50
      • Multivitamins for Men Over 50
      • Best Budget Probiotics
    • Cardio
      • Best Air Bikes
      • Rowing Machines Under 500
      • Walking Shoes for Men
      • Compact Treadmills
      • Treadmills for a Heavy Person
      • Recumbent Bikes
      • Budget Ellipticals

Hashi Mashi

Fitness Tips for Your Mind and Body

  • Start Here
    • Start Here – The Hashi Mashi Plan
    • How to lose 20 pounds in 3 months
    • Benefits of losing 20 pounds
    • How to lose 75lbs in 6 months
    • Lose belly fat by lifting weights
    • Deadlift calories burned
    • Deadlift for fat loss
    • The Obesity Code summary
    • Clean Eating for Beginners
    • Keto vs Clean Eating
    • 40 40 20 Diet Plan
  • Exercises
    • Deadlifts
      • Deadlift muscles worked
      • Benefits of deadlifts
      • How to deadlift
      • Deadlift accessory lifts
      • Deadlift alternative for bad back
    • Squats
      • Squat muscles worked
      • Benefits of squats
      • How to squat
      • Squat accessory lifts
      • Squats for body transformation
    • Bench Press
      • Bench Press Benefits
      • Improve Your Bench
      • Incline vs Flat Bench Press
      • Floor Press VS Bench Press
    • Power Cleans
      • Power Cleans Muscles Worked
      • Power Clean VS Deadlift
      • Power Clean VS Squat Clean
    • Overhead Presses
      • Overhead Press Muscles Worked
      • Overhead Press Accessory Exercises
    • Chin-Ups / Pull-Ups
      • Neutral grip pull-ups muscles worked
      • Pull Ups benefits, muscles worked
      • Chin Up Muscles Worked
      • Chin-Ups vs Pull-Ups
    • Push-ups
      • 100 pushups a day
      • Pushup muscles worked
      • Benefits of pushups
      • Exercises to Improve Pushups
  • Workouts
    • 3×5 workout program
    • Army prt exercises
    • Strength Training for Men Over 50
    • Bodybuilding over 50 workout routine + PDF
    • Weightlift for weight loss
    • Minimalist training
    • Powerbuilding program + PDF
    • Beginner deadlift workout routine
    • Deadlift Program
    • Beginner squat workout routine
    • 5/3/1 for Beginners
    • 5 Types of Workouts to Change Your Body
  • Body Transformation
    • Body Transformation Guide
    • How deadlifts change your body
    • Getting Fit at 50 before and after photos
    • Swimming body transformation
    • 12-week body transformation plan
    • How rowing changes your body
    • Running body transformation
    • Rock climbing body transformation
    • How cycling changes your body
    • Assault bike body transformation
    • Skinny fat to muscular
    • CrossFit Body Transformation
    • How kickboxing changes your body
  • Equipment
    • Weightlifting
      • Olympic Barbells
      • Elbow Sleeves
      • Knee Sleeves
      • Weightlifting Shoes
      • Weightlifting Belts
      • Gifts for Weightlifters
      • Bumper Plates
      • Dumbbells
      • Weight Benches
      • Cable Machines
    • Deadlift Equipment
      • Best shoes for squats & deadlifts
      • Deadlift shin guards
      • Deadlift bars
      • DIY deadlift platform
      • Best lifting straps
      • Deadlift socks
    • Calisthenics
      • Calisthenic Equipment
      • Weighted Vests
      • Resistance Bands
      • Power Towers
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein Powders
      • Supplements for Men Over 50
      • Multivitamins for Men Over 50
      • Best Budget Probiotics
    • Cardio
      • Best Air Bikes
      • Rowing Machines Under 500
      • Walking Shoes for Men
      • Compact Treadmills
      • Treadmills for a Heavy Person
      • Recumbent Bikes
      • Budget Ellipticals
Home » Romanian Deadlift vs Deadlift: What’s The Difference + How To

Romanian Deadlift vs Deadlift: What’s The Difference + How To

Updated September 9, 2023 by Rich

Deadlift vs Romanian – Introduction

When it comes to the Romanian deadlift vs deadlift, what are the main differences?

First, what is a Romanian deadlift?

The Romanian Deadlift is an excellent compound exercise that targets your hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and erector spinae muscles.

It is also a popular deadlift assistance exercise that isolates the second phase of traditional deadlifts.

Two Phases of a Conventional Deadlift

The first phase is when you lift the weight off the floor.

The second phase is when the bar reaches your knees, and you complete the deadlift by driving your hips forward and standing tall. Or better known as when you lock out.

Therefore, the Romanian deadlift helps you improve your overall deadlift because it makes you stronger in the second phase of your lift.

Also, the Romanian deadlift serves as a stand-alone exercise to target your hamstring muscles and glutes. As such, it is also an effective exercise to use when you warm up for a traditional deadlift workout routine.

Now, let’s dive into the distinctions between the conventional and Romanian deadlifts.

Deadlift vs Romanian Deadlift

The Key Differences

The conventional deadlift begins with you, lifting the weight from the ground. You pick the weight up off of the floor to a standing position.

On the other hand, the Romanian variation begins from an upright standing position.

Then, you lower the bar as far as you can go towards the floor and then return to your starting position while maintaining a neutral spine.

Keep your back flat, never round your back when doing any deadlift.

To sum up, the starting position of a Romanian Deadlift is from a standing position with the weight in your hand. Whereas the starting position of the conventional deadlift starts from the floor.

Why Do Romanian Deadlifts?

Whether you are an athlete, powerlifter, or just looking to get fit, the Romanian deadlift can help improve your fitness because it helps you:

  • Strengthen your hamstring and gluteal muscles
  • Focus on the hip hinge and hip drive to improve your hip mobility
  • Balance your leg training
  • Take an unnecessary load off of your lower back
  • Helps you build explosive power as a runner or sprinter
  • Warm up for and improve your regular deadlift
  • Improve your overall athletic performance

Your Body is More Than You See in the Mirror

No matter which type of deadlift variation you perform, the deadlift is going to build your ‘posterior chain.’

The posterior chain is the group of muscles along the backside of your body, your lower body, and your upper back. Another way of thinking of the posterior chain is those muscles that you cannot see in the mirror, the back half of your body.

Imagine how much power and strength you lose by neglecting the major muscle groups on the back half of your body.

Many gym-goers spend years, if not decades, training the mirror muscles. The muscles they can see.

Don’t do it anymore. Of course, I had no clue what the posterior chain was back when I was obese.

The only chain I was familiar with was Dunkin Donuts for pop ems.

But, when I finally started to lose weight and introduced squats and deadlifts, boom, those two exercises alone transformed my body and fitness. One explanation is that I was finally doing a total body workout that targeted the posterior chain — the entire back half of my body which was always neglected.

Dumbbell curls, shoulder presses, and seated chest presses are not going to build the strength of the posterior chain muscles.

But any type of deadlift, whether standard deadlifts, deficit deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, or deadlifts with a pair of dumbbells – they will!

Also, a strong posterior chain can reduce the risk of lower back pain and injury. As a result, you will walk taller and feel much stronger.

How to Do a Romanian Deadlift

Stance

  • Stand with your feet hip-width
  • You use a hip-width stance in a deadlift
  • As opposed to shoulder width in a squat
  • This is because the initial power of lifting the weight off the ground in a deadlift comes from your leg drive off the floor.
  • As if you are doing a vertical leg press.
  • But here, you will lower the bar from a standing position

Grip

  • Hold the bar with an overhand grip
  • Your hands should be shoulder-width on the bar

Hip Hinge

  • You break at the hips first to lower the bar
  • Push your hips back
  • Keep your back straight and tight
  • Chest out, and shoulder blades pinched towards each other
  • Brace your entire core
  • When you push your hips back, the bar will start to lower

Legs

  • Your legs are not perfectly straight as in a stiff leg deadlift
  • Instead, you need a slight bend in your knees
  • As you lower the bar from a standing position, you keep your knees slightly bent
  • When the bar goes below your knees, and you feel the tension in your hamstrings and glutes
  • Now is when you squeeze your glutes and drive your hips forward
  • And return to your starting position

Movement Pattern

  • Standing with the barbell using an overhand grip
  • Break at the hips
  • Barbell lowers to a little below the knees
  • This is your full range of motion, from standing to a little below your knees.
  • You are not putting the weight down on the floor.
  • Feel the tension in your hamstrings and glutes
  • Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips forward
  • Stand up and repeat

Alan Thrall, competitive strongman and powerlifter warns that you should not even begin to deadlift until you master the Romanian deadlift! Watch the whole video to get a great lesson on the most basic deadlift essentials:

STOP Deadlifting Until You Learn How To Romanian Deadlift

A Great Exercise to Warm Up

You can also use bodyweight Romanian deadlifts to warm up. I find it especially helpful before a deadlift workout.

Just use the same movement pattern described above with or even without a barbell.

Do several sets of 8 to 10 reps along with your other deadlift warm-up routine exercises. For example, start with some light cardio, do 8 – 10 back hyperextensions, forward stretches, bodyweight Romanian deadlifts, floor bridge hip thrusts, and bird dog.

See How to Warm Up for Deadlifts Properly in Four Easy Steps for more details.

Always Use Proper Deadlift Form

There are a variety of deadlift variations, and one of the most popular is the Romanian deadlift.

Always focus on the best form, and not how much weight can you lift today. No, keep your mind focused on how proper is your technique.

Always do proper form deadlifts, whether regular, sumo, stiff leg or single-leg Romanian deadlifts.

Otherwise, you can run the risk of injury from doing deadlifts.

So, never be in a rush to lift heavier weights. Instead, be in a rush to go slow, and gradually increase your deadlift weight.

Keep learning as much as possible about how to perform proper form deadlifts.

Be Careful!

Like any deadlift or squat movement, Romanian deadlifts are not for the faint of heart.

Be careful! Do I have to repeat it?

Yes, be careful when doing any deadlifts or squats. Especially, full-body compound free-weight movements using higher-weight poundages.

You are not going to be in much danger if you do wrist curls or arm curls with light weights.

However, in the Romanian deadlift or any other deadlift, keep your back tight, brace your abs, back flat with a neutral spine, head slightly tucked, shoulders back, and chest out.

Use a firm grip, and lift with a full breath of air; this will offer your back the best protection against back strain or injury.

See for Yourself!

This is an excellent video of what the Romanian deadlift looks like. The first 2 minutes of the video are mainly about the Romanian deadlift, and then he goes into the stiff-legged deadlift.

How to Perform the Romanian Deadlift

Romanian Deadlift vs Deadlift – Wrapping Up

The Romanian deadlift is a powerful weapon in your strength training toolbox. It will help teach you how to deadlift, and more specifically:

  • How to hip hinge
  • How to feel when your hamstrings are loaded
  • Hip drive
  • Excellent deadlift warm-up
  • Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes

A tidbit is that the Romanian deadlift also referred to as RDL, was named after a Romanian powerlifter – Nicu Vlad.

See Romanian Olympic Weightlifter Nicu Vlad in action at the 1984 Olympics

American Olympic weightlifters saw Vlad doing these second-phase deadlifts, before winning medals. And they started to do the same and dubbed the movement a Romanian deadlift.

You can see that Nicu knew something about Olympic weightlifting, so he is an excellent voice to trust for this great deadlift accessory exercise – the traditional Romanian deadlift.

What’s Next

Learn about the 7 Best Romanian Deadlift Benefits to Maximize Your Athletic Potential whether you’re an Athlete or not!

Related Posts:

  • Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: Why and How to Do This Important Exercise
  • How to Deadlift for Beginners – A Step-by-Step Guide
  • Sumo Deadlift vs Conventional: Which Is Better for You?
  • The Top 15 Proper Deadlift Form Tips For Beginners
  • 15 Safest Deadlift Alternatives to Protect Your Back(Opens in a new browser tab)
  • Tweet
  • Email
  • LinkedIn
  • Share

Filed Under: Exercises

About The Author

Rich Hashimashi AuthorRich "Hashi Mashi" is a NASM-CPT/CNC and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. At 55, he lost 75 pounds in 6 months, and discovered if you change your body, you can change your life. Ready to reignite your fitness? Start Your Body Transformation Journey Here.

Get Your FREE Body Transformation Guide

Primary Sidebar

Body Transformation Guides

  • Body Transformation: the Ultimate Guide
  • Strength Training for Men Over 50 + Workout
  • Minimalist Training Home Workout Guide
  • 8-Week Bodybuilding Over 50 Routine + PDF
  • 12-Week Body Transformation Workout Plan

Recent Posts

  • How to Get Started Bodybuilding: A Beginners Guide
  • Pilates vs. Yoga for Flexibility: Which is Better for Flexibility?
  • From Couch to 5K Plan: A Beginner’s Guide to Running
  • 10-Minute Morning Routine: Boosting Energy Before Breakfast
  • 10 Best Strength Exercises to Improve Your Surfing + Workout

Footer

Change Your Body

Recent Posts

  • How to Get Started Bodybuilding: A Beginners Guide
  • Pilates vs. Yoga for Flexibility: Which is Better for Flexibility?
  • From Couch to 5K Plan: A Beginner’s Guide to Running
  • 10-Minute Morning Routine: Boosting Energy Before Breakfast
  • 10 Best Strength Exercises to Improve Your Surfing + Workout
  • Top 10 Yoga Poses for Stress Relief: Calm Your Mind + Body
  • Dip Workout at Home: Exercise Guide for Beginners
  • 7-Day Vegan Bodybuilding Meal Plan: Ultimate Diet Guide
  • 8 Great Dumbbell-Only CrossFit Workouts at Home
  • 10 Best Roller Skating Exercises for Beginners + Workout

Change Your Life

Change Your Life

  • Body Transformation
  • Diet and Weight Loss
  • Equipment
  • Exercises
  • Motivation
  • NASM Certification
  • Pushups
  • Squats
  • Workouts

Follow Hashi Mashi

Pinterest   Facebook

The Fit Apprentice® is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Never Give Up

Remember when you were
in shape back in the day?

Do you think that transforming your
physique is a pipe dream?

You are in the right place if you want
to learn how to get fit, change your
body, and change your life.

But do not know where to start.

Here is how...
Start Here
  • About
  • Privacy policy
  • Affiliate link disclosure
  • Terms of use
  • Contact

The Fit Apprentice® Fitness Blog is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, treatment or diagnosis.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.



Copyright © 2012–2023 The Fit Apprentice® powered by HashiMashi.com - Hosted on BigScoots
DMCA.com Protection Status