How to Do Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: Muscles Worked & Proper Form

Muscles Worked in Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

Primary muscles worked:

• Glutes
• Lower Back
• Hamstrings

Secondary muscles worked:

• Adductors
• Trapezius
• Forearm Flexors

How to Do Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

1. Stand upright holding a pair of dumbbells.
2. Inhale, brace your core slightly, and lean forward by hinging in your hips. Keep your knees almost completely extended.
3. Lean forward as far as possible without rounding your back. You don’t have to touch the dumbbells to the floor, although it is OK if you do.
4. Reverse the movement and return to the starting position. Exhale on the way up.
5. Take another breath, and repeat for reps.

Note: you can stand on an elevation (for example a weight plate) if you want to extend the range of motion without hitting the floor.

Commentary

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift is a variation of the traditional deadlift, where you have almost entirely shifted the work to your posterior chain.