Romanian Deadlift
Hover a highlighted muscle
PrimarySecondaryTertiary
Muscles worked
HamstringsPrimary · 100%
GlutesSecondary · 70%
Lower BackSecondary · 40%
Equipment
Barbell
How to log the weight
Total bar weight
Log the total bar weight including the bar itself — an Olympic bar is 20 kg empty.
Recovery window
~72h for the primary movers
Hamstrings~72h
Glutes~72h
Lower Back~72h
Programming notes
Romanian Deadlift is driven by the hamstrings, with glutes and lower back assisting. Give the primary movers roughly 72 hours before loading them hard again. In the same session it pairs cleanly with Barbell Bench Press, whose primary movers don't overlap with anything this exercise works.