Tip A Better Way to RDL Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip A Better Way to RDL This dead-stop pinned variation of the Romanian deadlift is easier on your back keeps your form in check and nails your glutes by Ben Bruno January 17, 2018August 18, 2019 Tags Deadlift, Legs, Tips, Training Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) are one of the best exercises for glutes and hamstrings. Trouble is, far too often they're butchered worse than a Christmas ham. First, know that a RDL isn't a "stiff-legged deadlift." In a stiff-legged deadlift, you keep the knees locked out and bend forward like you're trying to touch your toes. However, if you do the exercise in this fashion – especially under heavy load – you're asking for trouble. I cringe every time I see someone doing stiff-legged deadlifts and wish they'd be ditched in favor of the RDL – which is far safer for the lower back, not to mention a superior glute exercise. The RDL is a hip hinge where you maintain a slight bend in your knees while pushing your butt back as far as you can. Lower down only as far as you can go and still maintain a flat back. For best results, do your RDLs in the power rack with the pins set at the proper depth. This way you know just how low to go and don't have to worry about it throughout your set. Think of it like using a box for a depth gauge with squats. Rack Romanian Deadlifts Set the pins at a level that allows you to keep good spinal positioning. When in doubt, err on the side of the higher setting. You can always lower it as your flexibility improves. This also forces you to control the eccentric (lowering) portion of the rep to avoid bouncing the bar off the pins. Place it down gently, pause for a second, and come back up. With regular RDLs, it's easy to let your form deteriorate as the set goes on and start relying on momentum to help move the weight, but starting each rep from a dead stop reflexively teaches you to stay tight throughout, which protects the lower back. You should initially reduce the weight as you adjust to the new technique, but it shouldn't take long before you're back up to using just as much weight as you could with regular RDLs – only now you'll be feeling them in all the right places, keeping yourself healthy, and using a full range of motion on every rep. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Tip Do a Standing Glute Squeeze Every Day Thirty seconds a day is all it takes to wake up your glutes and improve lifting performance. Here's how to do it. Tips, Training Bret Contreras December 14 Training Tip To Build Big Delts Train Multiple Angles The big lifts are foundational, but isolation and time under tension are crucial for shoulder size. Here's how to do it. Tips, Training Christian Thibaudeau December 1 Training Tip The Perfect Way to Overhead Press This variation allows you to lift heavy without messing up your shoulder health. Check it out. Training Lee Boyce December 19 Training Tip The 6-12-25 Protocol for Biceps This workout will add size to your biceps quickly... if you don't die. Take a look. Training Jason Brown November 17