Romanian deadlift (RDL)

[benpaynter]

Excellent video

[inhiswords]

does this have alor of stress on your lower back?

[Airickson]

@inhiswords It can. But you try to minimize the strain on the back by keep the bar close to your body -- basically you want it to remain within your center of gravity. That's why you have to push your hips (butt) back when you do it and you should feel your weight on your heels more than your toes. If you feel pressure on your toes, then it means you back is having to work harder to maintain the weight -- which you don't want, ideally.

[Wollenschrank]

Great performance. But what the dickens means "RDL"?

[Airickson]

@Wollenschrank Just the common abbreviation for Romanian DeadLift.

[phantomofthedrivein]

I just work out my back muscles, not my arms or legs, so I look really strange you can imagine. I did it for comedy

[1xJ0Nx1]

Really informative video, helped a noob like me out alot.

[achang34]

Is there a difference between this and a stiff legged deadlift?

[Airickson]

@achang34 You maintain more of a bend in your knee when doing an RDL vs. a stiff legged deadlift. It's generally easier to reduce strain on the low back when doing an RDL vs. a stiff legged deadlift because you don't have to be as flexible to get a full range of motion.

[Angelcakess]

Very good RDL demo, thanks man.

[Animehem]

i was instructed to do this in a different way. if my back stays arched like you say can i stand on top of a bench or a stack of plates without damaging my lower back

[Airickson]

@Animehem Your description sounds more like a stiff-legged deadlift to me. In general, it's difficult to go down as far as you describe and maintain and arched back.

[fourthcitizen]

So, RDL is for Hamstrings, regular DL is for quads?

[Airickson]

@fourthcitizen Sort of. You will recruit the hamstrings more heavily doing RDL's then you will with regular DL. But a DL will heavily involve the glutes, quads, and, of course, muscles of the low back. Much will depend upon the technique used.

[mrceebees14]

You are misinforming here.

RDL's main focus is not only Hamstrings, but big time for Glute Max and the T-Spine, or top position of the Spinal erector muscle group.

By not locking your Knee's out in any part of the lift, you are recruiting Glute max to take on more weight. By keeping your Shoulders stacked above the Hips with the Knee's bent you are recruiting the T-spine area of the spinal erectors.

[Airickson]

@mrceebees14 I don't disagree with you. However, I think the *primary* reason a person would do RDL's would be to target the hamstrings. The muscles of the hamstrings are responsible for two muscle actions: knee flexion (like a leg curl) and hip extension -- which is the purpose they serve here -- especially eccentrically. The more you can keep your COG over your feet the less you'll recruit the erector spinae muscles.

[mrceebees14]

@Airickson Please read what I wrote again, I said in my first line "RDL's main focus is not ONLY Hamstrings."

The Hamstring is a Hip Extensor, but not to the point Glute Max is, THAT is one of the main areas this lift was created to target. The last I mentioned is the top of the T-Spine.

If you would like a break down, I could post it.

BTW, where is your facility?

[Airickson]

@mrceebees14 I'm currently a lecturer at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Although both the glute max and hamstrings are hip extensors, I don't know that the weight is generally high enough in this lift to tax the glute max and that the extended position -- the stretch on the hamstrings -- taxes it to a greater degree.

[Achohan830]

Definitely helped and improved my form. Thanks a alot.

[mrceebees14]

You look like Jimmy Carrey's character in "My, Myself and Irene."

[Airickson]

@mrceebees14 I've gotten that before -- started with Carrey's 'Fire Marshall Bill' character on 'In Living Color'

[bdoyle23]

@Airickson , maybe its time for a new style of haircut

[Xevorim]

Best RDL instruction out there...Thanx

[PaulSalami]

wow great video thank you!

[LordMonkcheese]

Great vid. I'll be linking to this frequently on a UK weight training I post on if that's ok.

[Airickson]

@LordMonkcheese Please do, thanks.

[RelentlessStriker]

Great tutorial.

[fataslin]

yeah me too, really well done.

[cantochaos]

thank you

[djtipmothee]

Thanks for the tips on the RDL, I'll try this during my next leg workout.

[Ovamka]

Best instructional video on the rdl so far, Kudos.

[trellos007]

Great instruction on the RDL, push the ass out, weight on heels, slide along the body and stretch those hammies.

Bout time I saw a solid instructional on the RDL. - Good job.