Romanian Deadlifts: A New Guide for Crossfitters and Weightlifters

In the summer of 1990, at the Sports Palace in San Francisco, legendary Romanian weightlifter Nicu Vlad unintentionally revealed to the world one of his strength training secrets. The lift, which was later dubbed the “Romanian Deadlift” had never been witnessed in the USA until that summer when he toured the country for training for the 1990 Goodwill Games.

THE BIRTH OF THE ROMANIAN DEADLIFT

“Part of the clinic was Nicu doing a workout where he cleaned and jerked around 220 kg to 230 kg, and then he proceeded to do this lift, a combination stiff-leg deadlift and regular deadlift, but actually neither. He did several sets, working up to 250 for triples.

Someone watching asked what the exercise was he was doing. Nicu just shrugged his shoulders and said it was to make his back strong for the clean. Dragomir also said the same; it was just a lift that Nicu had developed for his back and clean. Well, then everyone was really interested and asked Nicu to demonstrate it with lighter weights and describe how to do it. Someone taking notes asked what this lift was called. There was a long pause and Nicu and Dragomir didn’t have a name, so I said, “Let’s call it the Romanian deadlift or RDL for short,” and every one agreed and there you have the birth of the RDL.”

ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS

Romanian Deadlifts, or RDL, is an excellent lift for developing strength and muscle mass in the posterior chain. Whether your goal is a great physique, a bigger squat or deadlift, or to run faster and jump higher, when performed correctly, the Romanian deadlift involves a hip hinge movement and uses the muscles that are vital in performing other exercises in lifting, jumping and sprinting.

When it comes to the deadlift, the conventional method is viewed as the be-all, end-all in terms of application and effectiveness. That’s why its Romanian counterpart so often gets passed over.

Standard Deadlifts are typically regarded as the best movement to train the posterior chain. But bending the knees less – as the Romanian deadlift requires – actually encourage more posterior activation.

Unluckily, the RDL is a difficult lift to learn. Whether it’s the concept of neutral spine, loading the hips by pushing them back, or keeping the weight on the heels, there are definitely easier lifts as they are requiring more flexibility in the hamstrings, and more mobility at the hip joint.

MOBILITY EXERCISES FOR ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS

To get the mobility you need, first try this: Take a dowel or broomstick, and hold it behind the back, length-wise, while standing tall. Your head, upper back, and butt should all be touching the dowel, and your lower back and neck should not. Maintaining all of the points of contact, “hinge” your body forward to simulate a deadlift pattern. Make sure the points of contact stay intact. Return to the start position and repeat for 10 reps. If you can’t do this, keep practicing the movement until it’s easy.

Try this to help hip positioning:

ROMANIAN DEADLIFTS: TECHNIQUE

Start with a loaded set on a power rack set at a height that you can clear the bar off the pins in a normal deadlift lockout stance.  The bar can also start off the ground but don’t try to do a Romanian deadlift starting off the ground.  If you’re starting with the bar on the ground, deadlift it up as you normally would and stop at the top of the lift keeping your whole body straight but your knees unlocked.  Use the same overhand or mixed grip that is used in a normal deadlift.  Straps or an overhand hook grip may be used if you find that the weakest part of the lift is holding onto the weight.

What does matter is keeping your lower back tight and absolutely straight the entire time.

As you lower the bar toward the ground, go only as low as you can without rounding your back.  If you have fairly average flexibility, you should be able to touch your fingers to your toes with a rounded back.  You’ll probably only be able to bring the bar just below the knees without rounding your back.  It is at this point that you’ll feel your hamstrings stretched out to their fullest.

Unlike the stiff-legged deadlift, which Romanian deadlifts are often confused with, the legs don’t stay completely straight.  Instead, the glutes and hips are driven back and the knees bend slightly but the knees never move forward.  The barbell glides down along the legs the entire way and never leaves contact with the body.  When the hamstrings can’t stretch any further, pull the bar back up and drive the hips forward. The more repetitions you do, the lower your hamstrings will allow the bar to travel because of increases in hamstring flexibility.

KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER

1. Start the lift at the top.
2. Maintain a straight lower back at all costs.
3. Drive the hips back and chest forward.
4. Lower the bar down the legs, touching the legs the entire time.
5. Unlock to knees and allow them to bend slightly but don’t push them forward.
6. Go as low as your hamstrings can stretch with a straight lower back.
7. Bring the bar back up the legs.
8. Drive the hips forward.

Deadlifting for strength, power and toughness © CrossFit KMSF

Nicu using Romanian Deadlifts to strengthen his back for Cleans © i2

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