Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

How to perform

1. 1Slide the dumbbells down your thighs as you hinge at the hips.
2. 2Feel the hamstring stretch, then stand tall by squeezing your glutes.

Technique in detail

Hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs, feet hip-width, knees softly bent. Brace, then hinge at the hips, letting the dumbbells travel down close to your legs — almost brushing them. Keep your back flat and your shoulders pulled back so the weights do not drag you into a slouch. Lower until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings, typically somewhere between mid-shin and just below the knee, then drive the hips forward to stand tall. Unlike a conventional deadlift, the weights do not need to touch the floor.

Common mistakes

• Letting the dumbbells drift forward away from the legs. Every inch of distance multiplies the load on your lower back — keep them tracking down your thighs.
• Bending the knees more as you descend, which turns it into a squat and takes the hamstrings out of it. Set the knee angle at the start and keep it there.
• Chasing depth past your hamstring flexibility. The moment the back rounds, you have found your end range for today. Stop an inch earlier.

Equipment

• Dumbbell