Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
Romanian deadlift with slightly bent knees. An extreme hamstring stretch. It works mainly the hamstrings, glutes and lower back, with help from the adductors, trapezius and forearm flexors.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 1.55× bodyweight (125 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 1.1× (65 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
- Stand tall with the bar against your thighs, feet hip width, knees soft and a neutral back.
- Push the hips back and hinge forward, sliding the bar down your legs while the knees stay almost straight.
- Go as far as the hamstrings allow without rounding the back, usually to just below the knees.
- Drive the hips forward to stand up and squeeze the glutes at the top; don't lean back at the end.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Hamstrings | Biceps femoris |
| Primary | Glutes | Gluteus maximus |
| Primary | Lower back | Erector spinae |
| Secondary | Adductors | Adductores |
| Secondary | Trapezius | Trapezius |
| Secondary | Forearm flexors | Flexores antebrachii |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Hamstrings and glutes under a long stretch
- The hinge that protects your back elsewhere
- Posterior chain strength you can see
Strength standards for Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 1.05× | 0.75× | 85 kg | 45 kg |
| Gold | 1.55× | 1.1× | 125 kg | 65 kg |
| Platinum | 2.1× | 1.45× | 167.5 kg | 87.5 kg |
| Diamond | 2.6× | 1.8× | 207.5 kg | 107.5 kg |
| Obsidian | 3.25× | 2.3× | 260 kg | 137.5 kg |
| Painite | 3.9× | 2.75× | 312.5 kg | 165 kg |
| Antimatter | 5.2× | 3.65× | 415 kg | 220 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Romanian Deadlift (RDL), estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
See also: strength rank calculator.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Romanian Deadlift (RDL) work?
It works mainly the hamstrings, glutes and lower back, with help from the adductors, trapezius and forearm flexors.
How do you do Romanian Deadlift (RDL)?
Stand tall with the bar against your thighs, feet hip width, knees soft and a neutral back. Push the hips back and hinge forward, sliding the bar down your legs while the knees stay almost straight. Go as far as the hamstrings allow without rounding the back, usually to just below the knees. Drive the hips forward to stand up and squeeze the glutes at the top; don't lean back at the end.
What is a good Romanian Deadlift (RDL) for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 1.55× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 1.1× for women, Diamond at 2.6× and 1.8×. For an 80 kg man that is a 125 kg and a 207.5 kg one-rep max.
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