Dumbbell Romanian (RDL) Deadlift |TECHNIQUE for Beginners

In this video I demonstrate how to perform the dumbbell Romanian deadlift (RDL). This video is geared for beginners and advanced lifters alike.
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[@j2fit]

If you found this helpful… PLEASE PLEASE SUBSCRIBE! ❤ By subscribing, you help me continue to grow the channel and make content like this! 🎉 Thank you for your help and support!

[@jonbaxter2254]

No bullshit, just over a minute. Nice clear description. Great stuff.

[@benkindlon9254]

I was really hoping for a 15 minute history lesson on top of this lol

[@incrediesta]

Honestly love these! Have struggled with barbell traditional deadlifts, sumos, RDLs etc and never felt comfortable doing any of them because of my super long femurs but RDLs with dumbbells are amazing because I can control where the dumbbells travel without making my lower back uncomfortable or scraping my knees. Perfect for people with long femurs to make progress consistently 👌

[@sheldonfrancis25]

Excellent video. Clear, concise and expertly demonstrated. 👍🏾💯💪🏾

[@lisamarcano3585]

Thank you. Very clear demonstration.

[@theinfinitevic9017]

Simple and concise. 👏

[@raulsaavedra709]

Great instruction! And must comment, the level of quiet and silence in that gym environment is remarkable in this recording

[@j2fit]

private gym, shot when nobody was there.. I also had a mic on. Thank you for noticing lol.

[@tyrosel2543]

This was a sleek video. Straight to the point. Thanks pal!!

[@j2fit]

Thanks for commenting! Glad you enjoyed, more where that came from!

[@andrealee.b]

This was really helpful! I found myself using my back muscles more than my hamstrings . Thank you!

[@j2fit]

really glad to help! I also posted another video on dumbbell RDL variations you can try too! kzbin.info/www/bejne/ramUmpRtbKt1btE

[@seanwickham8905]

Good to see Haley Joel Osment hitting the weight room.

[@darkblaze373]

Who?

[@BrotherMalMusic]

@@darkblaze373 The actor who played the kid in _The Sixth Sense,_ _Forest Gump,_ _A.I. Artificial Intelligence,_ _Pay it Forward,_ & the voice of Sora in the _Kingdom Hearts_ video game series.

[@darkblaze373]

@@BrotherMalMusic but it’s not him

[@BrotherMalMusic]

@@darkblaze373 Yeah, it’s a joke.. he’s just saying the guy resembles Haley Joel Osment.

[@adzo147]

Osmont my favourite one fr💯

[@alexwyne814]

Thank you for your guidance. You're the savior for someone who can't afford to train in gym like me.

[@j2fit]

you are welcome

[@sonic24freak49]

Thank you so much for this. I’ve been afraid of trying the RDL because I feel like my form is horrid and this helped me be more flexible with it and actually feel my hamstrings and not my lower back a ton for once. 🎉

[@j2fit]

That’s great to hear. If you have access to a lying hamstring curl machine, that’s also a gray way to get a ton of hamstring growth with minimal chance of lower back . I like doing 2-3 warm up set of 10-15, and then 2-3 hard sets of 8-10.. then go into RDL

[@AhmedMostafa-so2jp]

This is so helpful thanks, My form wasn't correct yesterday I think my back wasn't straight enough so I had a back injury

[@robertmunoz7162]

Great video! I watched it a few times and finally felt comfortable doing these with correct form. Thank you

[@j2fit]

Great to hear! Lmk if any other videos need help with, and o appreciate your support and comments on other vids too! So thank you! And welcome to the channel!!

[@robertmunoz7162]

​@@j2fitthank you bro. Been two months since I've watched this and it changed my workouts completely

[@gersonbatres5826]

Thank you!!

[@jacobjames1171]

Thank you.

[@quantumxfluxmd6821]

The knees back was the best tip. I immediately felt it

[@Kriakye2435]

Very helpful ty

[@simspropst155]

Thank you very much

[@tankeansang3229]

Very educational video, thanks for sharing

[@j2fit]

you are welcome

[@emmetblanchette6496]

great vid

[@beansmeup]

Thank you

[@user-hj1wp1dt2g]

thank you

[@tro2718]

Awesome

[@timo1934]

Thx buddy

[@davidsantacruz1233]

thank you for this

[@totalbodystrengthclub1795]

My guy is a beast and always was a beast

[@j2fit]

Appreciate it bro!

[@scottmthw]

Nice af

[@MyOrangeString]

Would love to see demonstration with heavier dumbbells. Especially how to handle safely.

[@joseph6160]

Nice one

[@j2fit]

Thanks for watching! And thanks for commenting!

[@rajveersekhon5606]

May all become strong and healthy

[@j2fit]

agree

[@cheez7519]

Does the RDL stretch the hamstrings? because mine are already overstretched and im trying to strengthen team , good video btw.

[@TheDuffcat]

It strengthens them in a lengthened position. It feels like a stretch if done right but you will be using them and the glutes to pull the weight up

[@j2fit]

stretch and load, thats muscle building 101. and the more trained muscle you have, the more stability you can have.. which is what you need

[@outlawreader]

and thanks again xD

[@j2fit]

you are welcome!

[@birchy446]

Yeah we workin

[@j2fit]

yesssir

[@caranasser3710]

These just never feel right. My back is always sore the next day! Help! I really want defined hamstrings and only have dumbbells to work with. Suggestions?

[@EddyMakes]

0:28 The workout starts (3×12)

[@nightmarecenhic3988]

dont do 3x12. just do 4 sets till failure. what helped me get to failure is music. music distracts me from counting

[@machinescapes]

^^^

[@zawarudo8023]

@@nightmarecenhic3988 u should still count so u can track ur workouts and progress

[@yo18momas]

@@zawarudo8023 I only start counting once I start to feel it burning, then I count up to 8

[@Heinrich.Himmler]

@@yo18momas And some people wonder why they get injured...

[@steamcarrier]

Love how a “trainer” told me how to do RDL and said keep your legs straight, but yet watch all of these videos and they have slight bent knees and I was doing them correctly the whole time.. -.-

[@beng5009]

bend your butt, dont bend your knees forward

[@Brannny88]

Try to keep legs straight as long as possible but then as you get lower towards the bottom of shin your leg would bend automatically Ann’s you’ll feel a pull in hamstring. Avoid bending knee early. Uf your doung ot loke that your sweet

[@gmcmim1]

Echo, the trick is to bend the rump first. Then as you go down and feeling the stretch of the hamstrings bend the knees as well. But don't bring them forward like you're doing a squat. If you feel no stretch in the hamstrings you're doing it wrong. That's the best way to describe it. It's called a deadlift for a reason. Anyone saying keep your knees straight as possible doesn't know what they're talking about. The knees need to be bent to support you in coming back up. Don't want to strain the back. Let's put it this way when people are doing barbell lifts they squat butt first then bend the knees as well then use them to come right back up. Now those are full bends of the knee. With dead lifts it's a slight bend. I really hope you understand.

[@juhgfdsapiyhhnnxc3517]

There is straight legged dead’s though. That’s usually a barbell. I still bend the knees. Total straight feels bad. Get a bar and put 185 and go slow and feel the stretch.

[@asadianbelifont3875]

If you don't have the mild bend in the knees you won't get any glute activation, and this exercise builds glutes like nothing fucking out there lol.

[@Dule-my1yc]

Is it normal for the hamstring area to hurt the next day? I did the same exercise but I worried that I didn't bend my knees as much

[@Abdullah-cj2mh]

That probably means you did it right. The hamstrings and glutes would get sore since that’s what this exercise targets.

[@haydnneese629]

yes, your muscles are sore from using them.

[@jared7611]

Does your back have to be perfectly parallel with the floor?

[@winnygpooh5003]

Pretty sure just go all the way until your hips can't go further then proceed to pull upwards

[@siiiuu777]

dont fking bend the back, thats it. Dont listen to bs and you will live longer...

[@mertege5719]

Hey ive been having finger injuries/problems while doing rdl/regular deadlifts. What do you think the problem is?

[@Bob-nb5dc]

u should prolly train ur forearm, im no expert tho, just guessing

[@j2fit]

no idea. never had finger issues. if its grip related (hard to hold on), train grip more. if you are having finger pain and injuries, worth getting that checked out.

[@abbasraza4639]

Increase forearm strength

[@____________838]

The RDL should increase forearm/hand strength, much like a farmers carry…

[@costanzo6770]

I've had the same, you just need to rest and wait for your fingers to heal, not much else

[@ttv.recklesssgg.9065]

I need help with keeping my back striaght

[@LiljamezZz]

i jus realized i was trying to squat with the dumbells in front of me instead of deadlifting 💀

[@bean_machine96]

If I feel it in my lower back does that mean I have weak glutes/hips?

[@j2fit]

or you are not keeping back straight. or you are not focusing on contracting glutes at top

[@audreyshakara6928]

i fractured my spine a few years back & feel a lot of tension/pain building up during this movement using a barbell. do you have any tips or that?

[@Tazy50]

do cable pull-through instead

[@mohammedqasim7147]

Yeah don't do it. If you got back problems it's deadlifts are very taxing on the spine and back

[@j2fit]

That’s a very individual question and given your injury history I can’t give you a general answer without knowing the whole scope. Sorry

[@j2fit]

If your goal is to build hamstring and glutes, try seated and lying machine curls, hip raises, and lunges

[@koennieboy5593]

Does this both train and stretch the hamstring? Please let me know

[@MsActress08]

A stiff deadlift would be ideal, less bend in the knees would give you a good stretch of your hamstrings

[@AhmedTheSavage]

After I do it, I feel 2 bumps above my butt in my lower back when walking. Am I doing something wrong.

[@andrewmacy9035]

I'd make sure to stretch this area and especially your glutes more prior. The bump feelings are most likely due to your muscles being tight.

[@nadapenny8592]

More potassium and more water! Eat one or two apples on days you work out, and hydrate before working out - I'm not saying a whole gallon, but drink plenty more water than you normally would. Also when you stretch, consciously engage your glutes. It sounds like you're getting a muscle "knot", possibly resulting from uneven distribution of the electrochemical signals that contract and relax muscles. All three of those over the course of a week or two should help.

[@Jobson85]

How should i choose the correct weight on this exercises cause obviously the weight on barbell deadlift doesn't give any direction to that?

[@j2fit]

Choose a weight that is challenging for 10-15 reps (I’d train in that rep range). If you don’t have heavy enough DB, then I would choose a barbell RDL to get adequate loading (or train 20-30 reps, but if weight is still to light w that high rep range.. then you need heavier weights. That is a limitation of DBS

[@o6berkan358]

My lower back hurt insanely. Tips how to decrease the pain?

[@j2fit]

make sure you are using your hamstrings and glutes, rather than over extending spine at top. Review the hip thrust video too

[@jasalavric2447]

How does treching the musscle make it stronger? I can strech the hamstings all day and still and not reach musscle faliure

[@j2fit]

Stretching doesn’t make it stronger, but adding load and training in the full range of motion creates a lot of tension and stress, which grows the muscle.

[@jorde1516]

No one ever mentions to squeez your glutes before anything and don't stop squeezing through the movement.

[@j2fit]

difficult to squeeze your glutes (contract them, shorten the muscle fibers) when you are lowing the load (muscles are being lengthened). I agree with the focus here, just be sure to control the load throughout.

[@ayushthasale4748]

I have Anterior Pelvic Tilt can i still do this? Like idk if i can keep my back straight if i have Anterior Pelvic Tilt also I've Belly Fat

[@j2fit]

so fix the anterior tilt. good that and youll get good videos

[@ksewell2022]

Jesus loves y’all❤️

[@louie8425]

He loves you too

[@gabepaladin]

You too!

[@maskup_]

💀

[@user-os7in6rp2s]

​@Ianh jesus, loves you as well✝️

[@unknownbytes2874]

I love prophet jesus too❤️

[@talha1753]

Dear I want to know which position foot should be in rdl

[@j2fit]

like the video, hip width, toes forward or slightly slightly turned out

[@mcpartridgeboy]

i cant do it because my legs are very strong and my forearms give way before my glutes and hamstrings, what can i do ?

[@hannahnunley6308]

Lifting straps!!

[@mcpartridgeboy]

@@hannahnunley6308 They only helped slightly , and in some ways it was even harder because i couldnt dump the weights after i was done.

[@mr.highminded5357]

Just focus on your grip strength for a while, its not rocket science. Dead hangs and farmer carries can do wonders for your grip strength.

[@j2fit]

Use wrist straps

[@HuggyWuggy91]

In Romanian deadlift what is the difference between the old deadlift? What muscle will be target?

[@JoeSmith-ig3pr]

Hamstrings. These work better for me.kzbin.infoiQVLxHgqsv8?feature=share

[@j2fit]

RDL is more hamstring biases, less knee bend (shins stay vertical at bottom of movement, you should feel nasty stretch in hamstrings). Deadlift, while it also trains hamstrings, allows knees to bend more (shins slightly more forward at bottom), feel little quad loading in bottom position. i like RDL for building bigger hamstrings, but Ill also add deadlifts too (more glutes i feel)

[@HuggyWuggy91]

@@j2fit thank you sir, 👍

[@koichikun1145]

I tried it but I ended up with extreme back pain, any help?

[@tinocabral4201]

Should I lock out knees when doing this?

[@j2fit]

No Soft pain in the knees, your shin should be perpendicular to floor. If you don’t feel the hamstrings and keep your back, arched Moore and straighten your knees a little more but don’t lock them out.

[@kabirghai8709]

My hamstrings are really tight. Will this help loosen them?

[@j2fit]

If you slowly train them in a wider range of motion, along with stretching exercises, yes

[@CarnivoreConservative]

Boy am I out of shape. I did 3 sets of 10 with 40 lb weights and my ass is sore. I'm gonna be dying tomorrow 😅

[@krisztianberekmeri3623]

Isnt that the Stiff Legged Deadlift?

[@sulezraz]

0:26

[@Luketaylor9729]

What is the difference between a Dumbbell Deadlift and this Romanian one? I've seen so many videos and tutorials and I honestly can't tell the difference

[@j2fit]

RDL and deadlift are two differnet movemetns. the dumbbell is the implement. A deadlift you bend knees more, RDL you have less knee bend and bias the movement to use more hamstrings. So, you can have a dumbbell deadlift vs dumbbell rdl. the rdl has less knee bend, more emphasis on hamstrings and glutes, where was deadlift the knees bend slightly more (how much.. maybe shins can more forward past vertical some in bottom). RDL i generally like to keep my shins vertical at the bottom (full stretched position), so i think bout pulling knees back as I lower, bend at the hips. knees stay above ankles.

[@gliterott]

How much weight would you recommend for beginners

[@j2fit]

It’s all relative. As heavy as you can with prefect form and slowly lowering weights 3-4 seconds.

[@gliterott]

@@j2fit alright thank you, I've been doing it like that for a few days It's very efficient

[@Amanda-km2to]

I never feel it in my hamstrings but in my glutes

[@j2fit]

yes I would say more glutes than hamstrings. Or try and keep knees less bent

[@Rosa-vz9ml]

How much weight should i start with?

[@woodfamily5229]

Try a weight that you can do up to 15 reps with while maintaining PROPER form.

[@risialdyh9562]

Are you supposed to feel it in the lower back

[@j2fit]

might feel it, but think about keeping lower back straight, push hips back.

[@nailajackson317]

@@j2fit how to breath when doing this exercise?

[@uniqueurl]

You failed to explain the posture. I am always getting rounded back

[@creamcheese7845]

Would using heavy be ideal or light

[@asadianbelifont3875]

Form is more important with this that anything so always start light. If you do these wrong you fuck up your lower back while not getting glute activation. I worked my way up to 75lb dumbells after about a year. I started with 25s and I was sore ass shit for a couple months. Use progressive overload but make sure form is on point

[@XXTacoBellLovaXX]

will this work with only one dumbell

[@j2fit]

yup, if its heavy enough

[@AP-qe2ki]

@@j2fit how heavy should the dumbbells be?

[@eliangarcia2486]

I mostly feel it in my upper calf what am I doing wrong?

[@j2fit]

Keep your knees back more. Might just have tight calves TBH. Keep going

[@seomonealive8586]

i keep bending m'y knees

[@j2fit]

slight bend is fine. keep knees over ankles, but not in front

[@duonganhquan6273]

Don't squeeze the glutes at the top. You want to keep tension in your hamstring the whole time. Glutes activate the most at the bottom range, not the top.

[@Boutiki]

I thrust when go back up, is that what you mean?

[@j2fit]

this is not correct.

[@duonganhquan6273]

Squeezing at the top does nothing except taking the tension away from the hamstring and for some people, potentially cueing them to over-extend their back. The weight does not create any resistance here.

[@shamarr7459]

All I feel is lower back on this

[@j2fit]

Arch back more, and go slower on way down

[@communismcanfixit3732]

I feel insecure as hell doing this in the gym

[@communismcanfixit3732]

Im a guy

[@j2fit]

Do you wanna talk about it? That seems like a bigger issue.

[@communismcanfixit3732]

@@j2fit Nah, I just do them at home

[@Hagg-o-tron]

This is a dangerous video. If you can't touch your toes with a flat palm you need to concentrate on slowly stretching the tendons and ligaments in your legs. The Romanian lift is a great exercise, but this instructor is putting all of his torque force into his lower back

[@j2fit]

false. lol. show me the proof.

[@deathab0ve]

yea, have no clue at all how your back is straight. I get a hunch 100% of the time,

[@j2fit]

try doing without weight first, lean how to bend at the hips and control the lower back. If you can do this without weight, add weight and only go as heavy as you can without losing back position. if you cant do it without weight properly, then try holding a plate with both arms (hug the plate) and do this movement to learn how to hinge.

[@deathab0ve]

@@j2fit thanks, I have actually gotten the hand of it since this. But the advice is still appreciated.

[@citizen3000]

Well this is easy on the eyes, ain’t it?

[@jackdiamond2827]

All my coach does is program these month after month I'm sick of these things 😅😅😅😅

[@j2fit]

I’ve been training consistently for over two decades, and RDL with dumbbells and Barbell still a staple in my training

[@chunkycheese6745]

Top G Andrew Tate

[@cgfischer]

I’ve been trying this for too long but never feel any tension in my legs. Always feel lower back and it’s very uncomfortable 🫠😔

[@reiko1273]

thank you

[@mayonico]

0:21