Hinge with a bar, not a floor pull

Romanian Deadlift

Start standing. Push the hips back. The bar slides down your legs. Stop when the hamstrings say so, not when your back rounds. Stand up. This is not a deadlift off the floor.

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Hunter: I cue the same car-door hips as the dumbbell version. The bar just makes the number easier to load. If the bar drifts out front, I lost the hinge.

Cues

Stand tall. Soft knees. Bar in the hands, not on the floor.
Brace. Then push the hips back like you are closing a car door.
Bar stays close to the legs. Shins stay mostly vertical.
Stop at mid-shin or whenever the back would round. That is the bottom.
Drive the hips forward. Squeeze at the top. Do not lean back.

Setup

Take the bar off a rack if you can. You do not need to deadlift it first. PPL legs and Upper Lower both use this after a squat. 3 sets of 6-8. Plate calculator for even loading.

After dumbbell RDLs

If you already own the dumbbell version, this is the same path with a bar. Log Romanian deadlift, not deadlift. The floor pull is a different page. Mixing them in one history makes next week fog.

PPL legs day

Back squat, then this, then lunges. Rest about 2 minutes. You will feel hamstrings tomorrow. That is training, not a medical event. If something sharp shows up, stop and tell a parent or coach.

Straps and mixed grip

Straps are allowed if grip dies before the hinge does. Mixed grip is optional. Log the same either way. Grip can get extra work on carries.

Common misses

Bending the knees so much it becomes a squat. Rounding to chase depth. Looking at the ceiling. Letting the bar float out. Bouncing at the bottom like a conventional pull.

FAQ

How far down?

Usually mid-shin. Flexibility is not the goal. A long, honest hinge is the goal.

Is this a stiff-leg deadlift?

No. Soft knees. Stiff-leg is a different groove. Stay on this page until the hip path is quiet.

Log Romanian deadlifts in the free Vitality Engine. Bar weight, every working set.

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