Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
In short
The dumbbell Romanian deadlift trains your hamstrings, with your glutes and back helping. You need dumbbells, and do 8 to 12 reps per set. Mitta rates it A.
At a glance
- Main muscle
- Hamstrings
- Also works
- Glutes and back
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Rep range in Mitta
- 8 to 12 reps
- Skill level
- Beginner
- How tiring
- Medium
- Weight step in Mitta
- 2 kg
How to do it
- Dumbbells close to your legs.
- Push your hips far back.
- Feel the stretch, then come up.
Pick a weight you can lift for 8 to 12 reps with good form, and stop each set with a few reps left in the tank.
Why rating A
Same mechanics as the barbell RDL, fine at home until grip becomes the limit.
Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.
Alternatives
These train the same muscle. Use one if you lack the equipment, if this exercise does not feel right, or for some variety.
- Romanian Deadlift · Barbell · rating A
- Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift · Dumbbell · rating B
- 45° Back Extension · Bodyweight · rating A
Keep learning
- What is progressive overload, and how do you do it?
- How many sets per muscle per week?
- What is RIR, and how do you estimate it?
- One-rep max calculator: your max from any hard set of the dumbbell Romanian deadlift.
Let Mitta set the weight.
Mitta plans the dumbbell Romanian deadlift with a weight and rep target for every set, worked out from your last sessions.
Questions about the
dumbbell Romanian deadlift
What muscles does the dumbbell Romanian deadlift work?
The dumbbell Romanian deadlift mainly trains your hamstrings. Your glutes and back help.
How many reps of the dumbbell Romanian deadlift should I do?
Mitta plans the dumbbell Romanian deadlift at 8 to 12 reps per set. Most sets should end with only a few reps left in the tank.
What can I do instead of the dumbbell Romanian deadlift?
Good alternatives that train the same muscle are the Romanian deadlift, single-leg Romanian deadlift and 45° back extension.
Is the dumbbell Romanian deadlift good for beginners?
Yes. It is easy to learn, so it suits people who are new to lifting.
Why does the dumbbell Romanian deadlift have rating A?
Same mechanics as the barbell RDL, fine at home until grip becomes the limit.