If you want an exercise to not only get your hamstrings big and strong but also, strengthen your erectors and glutes then look no further than the Romanian Deadlift (RDL). The RDL is a great exercise for the overall strength and health of the posterior chain. One of the problems with the RDL is that when some people perform this exercise, they often do it incorrectly and it leads to low back pain/irritation. The most common problem I see when some lifters perform the RDL is that when they start to lower the weight, the weight gradually gets farther and farther from their body. When the weight gets farther away from the body it puts more demand on the lower back that it may not be ready for. With lighter weight this may not be a problem, but the more weight we add the higher chance there is of having a low back injury. This is why it is important to perform this exercise correctly. Let's begin with the starting position of the RDL. The RDL is much like the traditional deadlift, except the RDL start at the top position instead of the floor. So my approach to this exercise is much like that of the deadlift. At the set up: You should have your hands close to your hips, roughly shoulder width apart. The weight should be touching your hips/pelvis at this point. I personally put a slight bend in my knees. It takes pressure off the knee point, it feels better on my back and it targets the glutes a little bit more. But there's nothing wrong with a straight leg deadlift. It's whatever tickles your fancy.
Start of the movement: Once the weight is starting to be lowered, you want push your hips backwards; like you're trying to shut a car door. Be mindful to make sure the weight is keeping contact with your legs. This will help you keep a tight core and neutral spine. To help with not looking straight forward and lifting your head, try to find a spot on the floor about two feet in front of you to stare at for the entirety of the lift.
But when do you stop the movement? Some people think that you have to go until the weight touches the floor. I tell my clients to lower the weight until the start to feel the stretch in their hamstrings, then bring the weight back up. As you perform this exercise more the lower you will be able to go over time, due to the hamstrings consistently being stretched with exercises like the RDL. Moving the bar back up: Once you hit your bottom position, it is time to bring back the weight back to its starting position. This is where a lot of lifters run into a problem. As they lift the weight, they tend to have the bar farther from their body and it leads to them to lift mainly with their low back and not their hamstrings and glutes. Majority of back pain associated with the RDL comes from this portion of the lift. You want to make sure the weight stays touching your legs as you're bringing it back up. Don't forget that this is mostly a hamstring exercise, so be sure to have them be the prime movers of this lift.
Ways to Perform the RDL There are many different ways to perform the RDL. As long as you have the basic fundamentals of performing this exercise, all of these are great variations of the RDL. It all depends on your goals and what you feel most comfortable performing. -Barbell RDL -Dumbbell RDL -Kettlebell RDL -Landmine RDL -Trap bar RDL -Sumo RDL
-Single Leg RDL
The most important thing is that you're being safe, feeling confident, feeling strong, having fun, and RYP (Reach Your Potential). I hope this little amount of information on the RDL has been helpful! -Brian
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