Romanian deadlift: correct technique, how low to go and whether it is enough for your hamstrings
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It is one of the exercises that activates the hamstrings most, but it mainly grows one of them. Step-by-step technique, depth, mistakes and what to pair it with.
In 2014, Matt McAllister and colleagues at the University of Memphis (United States) used electromyography to measure 12 trained men doing one rep at 85% of their maximum in four exercises: leg curl, good morning, glute-ham raise and Romanian deadlift. The hamstrings reached their highest activity in the Romanian deadlift and the glute-ham raise. And in every exercise, the semitendinosus worked much harder than the biceps femoris.
So the Romanian deadlift is one of the best exercises for the back of the thigh. It is also one of the most often confused with the regular deadlift. Here is how to do it, how low to go and why it should not be your only hamstring exercise.
Romanian or conventional deadlift: what changes
The conventional deadlift starts on the floor and mixes knee and hip. The Romanian starts at the top, bar in hand, and is almost all hip: the knees bend a little at the start and then stay put. The bar does not touch the floor between reps.
- Conventional: more total load, more quadriceps and lower back work. You will find the technique in the deadlift guide.
- Romanian: less weight, more stretch on the hamstrings and glutes, and a controlled descent on every rep.
How to do the Romanian deadlift step by step
- The start. Standing, bar in your hands at shoulder width and feet hip-width apart.
- The knees. Bend them slightly and keep them there for the whole rep.
- The descent. Push your hips back, as if closing a door with your backside, and let the bar slide down your thighs.
- The back. Neutral from start to finish: chest open, eyes a few metres ahead.
- The ascent. Drive your hips forward until you are standing, without leaning back at the end.
Read the video text
Is the Romanian enough for your hamstrings? 85% of max: the Romanian, among the top for hamstring activity (McAllister et al., 2014). +11.2% semimembranosus growth with stiff legs; semitendinosus with the Nordic (Morin et al., 2025). More activity in the lower hamstring with the leg curl (Schoenfeld et al., 2015). Hips back, neutral spine. The video ends by showing how to create the routine in Progrevia.
How low to go in the Romanian deadlift
There is no fixed height. Go down until you feel a clear stretch in the hamstrings or to the point where your back would start to round, whichever comes first. For most people, that is somewhere between just below the knee and mid-shin.
If the bar only reaches your knees because your back rounds, do not force it: use less weight and the depth will come over the weeks. Going lower at the cost of rounding your back does not work the muscle more.
Is the Romanian deadlift enough for your hamstrings?
Not entirely. In 2015, Brad Schoenfeld (CUNY Lehman College, New York) compared the stiff-leg deadlift, a variation very close to the Romanian, with the lying leg curl in 10 trained men, both with their 8-rep load and to failure. The leg curl activated the lower part of the hamstrings, the part nearest the knee, more.
A 2025 trial confirmed it by measuring growth. Titouan Morin (Nantes University, France) trained 36 untrained people 3 days a week for 9 weeks with the stiff-leg deadlift or the Nordic curl, and measured each muscle with 3D ultrasound:
| Exercise | Hamstrings overall | Muscle that grew most |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff-leg deadlift | +7.0% | Semimembranosus: +11.2% |
| Nordic curl | +11.4% | Semitendinosus: +24.3% |
Each exercise mainly grew a different muscle, and the authors recommend including both in the same programme. The practical rule: one hip exercise (the Romanian) and one knee exercise (a leg curl). You will find more options in leg exercises.
Common Romanian deadlift mistakes
- Turning it into a squat: if your knees bend a lot on the way down, the work shifts to the quadriceps. The hips go back, not down.
- Letting the bar drift away from your legs: the further away, the more load on your lower back.
- Rounding your back to go lower: stop where you can keep it neutral.
- Leaning back at the top: the movement ends standing, hips extended.
- Lowering without control: the descent is the part that stretches the muscle most; take 2-3 seconds.
How to program the Romanian deadlift
- Sets and reps: 2-4 sets of 6-12 reps, 1-3 reps short of failure.
- Frequency: 1-2 times a week. It causes strong soreness at first, so start with little volume.
- Barbell or dumbbells: both work; dumbbells are a good way to learn the movement.
- Progression: depth with good technique first, then weight. We explain it in progressive overload.
Safety: if you feel lower back pain, reduce the weight and the depth, and see a healthcare professional if the discomfort continues. You will find more guidance in low back pain and the gym.
The Progrevia generator can include the Romanian deadlift on your leg days and leaves it out if you mark a lower back, hip or hamstring injury.
- McAllister MJ, Hammond KG, Schilling BK, Ferreria LC, Reed JP, Weiss LW. Muscle activation during various hamstring exercises. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2014;28(6):1573-1580.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Tiryaki-Sonmez G, Wilson JM, Kolber MJ, Peterson MD. Regional differences in muscle activation during hamstrings exercise. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2015;29(1):159-164.
- Morin T, Doguet V, Nordez A, Caillet A, Lacourpaille L. Minimal Role of Hamstring Hypertrophy in Strength Transfer Between Nordic Hamstring and Stiff-Leg Deadlift: A Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2025;39(9):924-932.
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Frequently asked questions
Which muscles does the Romanian deadlift work?
Mainly the hamstrings and gluteus maximus, with the lower back working to keep the spine neutral. In McAllister's study (2014) it was one of the exercises with the highest hamstring activity.
How does it differ from the conventional deadlift?
The Romanian starts at the top, barely bends the knees and does not touch the floor between reps. It is almost all hip and stretches the hamstrings more; the conventional moves more weight and works the quadriceps more.
How low should I go?
Until you feel a clear hamstring stretch or as far as your back stays neutral, whichever comes first. For most people, between just below the knee and mid-shin.
Is the Romanian deadlift enough for my hamstrings?
Not entirely. The leg curl works the part near the knee more (Schoenfeld, 2015), and in Morin (2025) each exercise grew a different muscle. Pair the Romanian with a leg curl.
How many sets of Romanian deadlifts should I do?
2-4 sets of 6-12 reps, 1-3 reps short of failure, 1-2 times a week. Start with little volume because it causes strong soreness.
Informational content based on the available scientific evidence: it does not replace advice from a healthcare professional. If you have an injury or a medical condition, or are pregnant, check with one before changing your training or diet.
