Training

Romanian deadlift vs conventional deadlift: what's the difference?

One starts from the floor and builds overall strength; the other starts from the top and targets the hamstrings. When to use each and how to do both.

The conventional deadlift starts from the floor with bent knees and lower hips, and is a full-body strength lift that trains the glutes, hamstrings, quads, back and grip. The Romanian deadlift (RDL) starts standing, lowers the bar only as far as the hamstrings allow while the knees stay slightly bent, and focuses on the hamstrings and glutes in a long stretch. For maximal strength, the conventional deadlift is the main lift; for hamstring growth and learning the hip hinge, the RDL is often the better choice. Most programs benefit from both.

Key differences

• Starting position: conventional from the floor; RDL from standing, after lifting the bar out of a rack or off the floor once.


• Knee bend: conventional bends the knees much more; RDL keeps a soft, nearly fixed knee bend.


• Range: conventional touches the floor each rep; RDL stops when the hamstrings are fully stretched, often around mid-shin.


• Main muscles: conventional — glutes, quads, hamstrings, back; RDL — hamstrings and glutes, with less quad work.


• Load: most people use about 60–80% of their deadlift weight for RDLs.


• Fatigue: heavy conventional deadlifts are very fatiguing; RDLs are easier to recover from at moderate loads.

How to do a Romanian deadlift

• Stand tall holding the bar at hip height, feet hip-width apart.


• Soften the knees and keep them in that position.


• Push the hips back, sliding the bar down the thighs with a neutral back.


• Stop when you feel a strong hamstring stretch or before the back starts to round.


• Drive the hips forward to stand back up, squeezing the glutes.

How to do a conventional deadlift

• Bar over the middle of the foot, shins close to the bar.


• Hinge down and grip just outside the legs, then bend the knees until the shins touch the bar.


• Brace, pull the slack out of the bar and tighten the lats.


• Push the floor away, keeping the bar close, and stand up tall.


• Lower under control back to the floor.

Which one should you use?

• Strength or powerlifting goals: conventional or sumo deadlift as a main lift, RDL as an accessory.


• Muscle growth, especially hamstrings: RDLs for 6–12 reps are excellent; conventional deadlifts are optional.


• Beginners: RDLs teach the hip hinge, then progress to deadlifts from the floor.


• Lower back sensitivity: RDLs with moderate weight are often better tolerated than heavy pulls from the floor.

Sample programming

• Day A: conventional deadlift 3 × 3–5


• Day B: Romanian deadlift 3 × 8–10

Is the stiff-leg deadlift the same?

Not quite. A stiff-leg deadlift keeps the legs straighter and usually starts each rep from the floor, while the RDL starts from the top and keeps a slight knee bend. Both target the hamstrings strongly.

FAQ

Should the bar touch the floor on RDLs?
No. Go only as deep as you can with a neutral back; for most people that is around mid-shin.

Can I do RDLs with dumbbells?
Yes. Dumbbell RDLs work just as well and are easier to set up at home.

Why do I feel RDLs in my lower back?
Usually the back is rounding or the hips aren't moving back. Lighten the load and focus on pushing the hips back.

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