Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Alternatives.

There are several exercises that are usually done with a barbell that may actually be better for you if you switch to dumbbells.

For example, dumbbell bent-over rows allow for a greater range of motion than the barbell version and are also more lower-back friendly. Dumbbell bench presses offer the same increased range of motion benefit and also tend to be easier on your joints, which is a bonus if you suffer from shoulder aches and pains.

That said, there are also plenty of exercises that work best with barbells – back squats, conventional deadlifts, and power cleans being the obvious examples.

However, there is one type of deadlift that works equally well regardless of how you load it – the Romanian deadlift. In fact, switching to dumbbells may be the change you need to finally start adding some mass to your posterior chain.

Are Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells better than the barbell version? Probably not. But they’re certainly as effective, so it’s worth trying them both to see which one you prefer.

In this article, we reveal why and how to do the Romanian deadlift with dumbbells and provide you with some variations and alternatives to try.

Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells – Muscles Worked

Technically, the Romanian deadlift with dumbbells is an isolation exercise because it only involves movement at one joint – your hips. However, despite its debatable isolation status, this exercise actually involves several large and important muscles.

The main muscles trained during dumbbell deadlifts with dumbbells are:

Gluteus maximus

Known as the glutes for short, this is the largest muscle in the human body. Located on the back of your hip, it’s basically your butt. The main function of the glutes is the extension of the hip joint. However, it’s also involved in stabilizing the hips and pelvis, as well as hip abduction and lateral rotation.

Hamstrings

There are three hamstring muscles – the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus. Located on the back of your thighs, together, these muscles flex your knees and, with your glutes, extend your hips.

Erector spinae

The erector spinae muscles run up either side of your spine and are responsible for spinal extension. However, in Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells, the erector spinae mainly works isometrically or statically to stop your lumbar spine from rounding.

Core

The core is the collective name for the muscles of your midsection, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis. These muscles form your natural weightlifting belt and provide your lumbar spine with support during Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells.

Trapezius and rhomboids

The traps and rhomboids are located across and between your shoulder blades. During Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells, they support your shoulder girdle and hold your shoulders in place. Like the erector spinae, these muscles mostly work isometrically, meaning that they generate tension without moving.

Latissimus dorsi

The lats are the large wing-like muscles on the side of your upper back. During Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells, these muscles contract to keep the weights close to your legs. If you don’t actively contract your lats, the weights will swing forward, making the exercise less comfortable and not as effective.

Forearms

Your grip plays an essential role in Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells, especially if you use heavy weights. For this reason, some lifters use grip-enhancing wrist straps for this exercise. Chalk is also recommended, so your hands are less likely to slip.

How to Do Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells

Get more from Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:

1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with the weights in front of your hips.
2. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back. Bend your knees slightly.
3. Push your butt backward and lean forward from your hips. This is called a hip hinge. Lower the weights down the front of your legs as far as your flexibility allows, taking care NOT to round your lower back.
4. Drive your hips forward and stand back up. However, do not lean backward at the top, as doing so just puts unwanted stress on your lower back without adding anything to the exercise.
5. Reset your core and repeat.

Tips:

• Use lifting straps and a weightlifting belt for support when using heavy weights.
• Place small weight plates under the balls of your feet to increase hamstring engagement.
• Do this exercise with your back close to a wall. Push your hips back and try to touch the wall with your butt to hit your hamstrings and glutes harder.
• Try doing this exercise with the dumbbells next to your legs instead of in front of them to take pressure off your lower back.
• Start with your dumbbells resting on an exercise bench to save you from having to lift them from and lower them to the floor at the start and end of each set. This is a handy energy-saving tip when using heavy weights.

Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

Not sure Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells deserve a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!

A very effective posterior chain exercise

Whether you want to build an impressive physique, get strong, or improve your athletic performance, the Romanian deadlift with dumbbells will help. This effective exercise works virtually every muscle on the back of your body. It will also increase hip and hamstring flexibility.

More lower back-friendly than barbell Romanian deadlifts

Using dumbbells instead of a barbell means you can keep the weights closer to your feet, which creates shorter levers and takes stress off your lower back. This makes Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells a better option for anyone suffering from lower back pain.

Less set-up time

Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells are a very time-efficient exercise. All you need to do is grab a pair of dumbbells off the rack and get to work. There is no barbell to load, and you can quickly increase or reduce the load just by changing dumbbells.

A good home gym exercise

No space for an Olympic barbell in your home gym? No problem! You don’t need a full-length bar to develop your posterior chain – a pair of dumbbells will suffice. Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells are an excellent option for home lifters.

Drawbacks

While Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a couple of drawbacks to consider:

It may be harder to go really heavy

You can do barbell Romanian deadlifts from a squat rack and using a mixed grip, both of which allow you to lift heavier weights more easily. Neither of these options is possible with the dumbbell variation. As such, you may not be able to go as heavy, so Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells may not be as helpful for building brute strength as the barbell version.

Two weights to control instead of one

You only have to control one weight when you do barbell Romanian deadlifts. With the dumbbell variation, you must control two, requiring more concentration, coordination, and balance. As such, some beginners may find the dumbbell version a little harder than doing barbell Romanian deadlifts.

7 Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells Variations and Alternatives

Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells are a highly effective posterior chain exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. There are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:

1. Barbell Romanian deadlift

If you want to do heavy Romanian deadlifts, the barbell variation is arguably your best option. You’ll be able to use more weight and start and finish your sets with your bar resting in a squat or power rack. All of that said, the movement is very similar to Romanian deadlifts done with dumbbells but with a little more lower back stress.

Steps:

1. Hold a barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width grip or mixed grip, and stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly, brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.
2. Hinging from your hips, lean forward and lower the bar down the front of your legs. Descend as far as your flexibility allows, taking care not to round your lower back.
3. Stand back up and repeat.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae.
• Secondary: Trapezius, rhomboids, forearms, core.

Benefits:

• An excellent exercise for building strength and muscle mass.
• Only one weight to control, so may be better for beginners than the dumbbell variation.
• A proven deadlift assistance exercise.

Tips:

• Use straps or a mixed grip if you are going heavy.
• Place your toes on small weight plates to increase hamstring engagement.
• Do this exercise in a squat or power rack to save you from having to start and finish each set with the barbell on the floor.

You can read more about barbell Romanian deadlifts in our in-depth guide.

2. Single-leg Romanian deadlift with dumbbells

The single-leg Romanian deadlift with dumbbells turns a strength exercise into a functional balance exercise. Standing on one leg forces you to engage your glutes more, especially the minimus and medius, which must work harder to stabilize your hips. This is a very functional exercise that’s especially useful for athletes. 

Steps:

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet together, arms by your sides.
2. Shift your weight over onto one leg. Bend your supporting knee slightly. Brace your abs and pull your shoulders down and back.
3. Hinging from your hips, lean forward and lower the dumbbells down your leg. Descend as far as you can without rounding your lower back.
4. Simultaneously extend your non-supporting leg out behind you as a counterbalance.
5. Stand back up and repeat.
6. Rest a moment, and then do the same number of reps on the opposite leg.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae.
• Secondary: Trapezius, rhomboids, forearms, core.

Benefits:

• An excellent exercise for improving balance and coordination.
• Less weight required for a good workout, so ideal for home exercisers.
• An effective way to identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances.

Tips:

• Do this exercise with one dumbbell only if you want to work with an offset load and challenge your balance more.
• Stand close to a wall and use it for support if necessary.
• Adopt a staggered stance and use one leg for stability if you cannot balance on one leg, like this:

3. Kettlebell swing

Kettlebell swings are basically a fast, powerful Romanian deadlift. As such, they can help build explosive strength and are also an excellent conditioning and fat-burning exercise. However, because of the speed involved, it’s generally best to master the Romanian deadlift with dumbbells before you attempt this exercise.

Steps:

1. Hold a single kettlebell or dumbbell in front of your hips and stand with your feet around shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees slightly, brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.
2. Push your hips rearward and lean forward, lowering the weight between your knees.
3. Snap your hips forward and use this momentum to swing the weight forward and up to about shoulder height.
4. Lower the weight and simultaneously lean forward, ready for another rep.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae.
• Secondary: Trapezius, rhomboids, forearms, core.

Benefits:

• A great exercise for building explosive strength.
• A fast-paced exercise that’ll help burn calories and fat.
• A fun change of pace from slower tempo Romanian deadlifts.

Tips:

• Use chalk on your hands to stop the weight from slipping and prevent blisters.
• Keep your arms straight and your shoulders down and back throughout.
• Drive with your hips, and imagine you are jumping forward to fire up your glutes and hamstrings.

4. Good mornings

Where Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells are designed to take the stress off your lower back, barbell good mornings actually force your back muscles to work harder. This is no bad thing if you have a healthy lumbar spine and want to strengthen your lower back muscles alongside your hamstrings and glutes.

Steps:

1. Rest and hold a barbell across your upper back as though you were going to do squats.
2. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and brace your core.
3. Without rounding your lower back, hinge forward from your hips as far as your flexibility allows.
4. Drive your hips forward and stand back up.
5. Reset your core and repeat.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae.
• Secondary: Core.

Benefits:

• Suitable for heavier weights and low reps.
• A proven powerlifting accessory exercise.
• A challenging exercise that’s especially suitable for intermediate and advanced lifters.

Tips:

• Pull the bar down onto your upper back/traps forcefully to stop it from moving as you lean forward.
• Pad the bar with a rolled towel for comfort.
• Place your toes on small weight plates to increase hamstring engagement.

5. Cable pull-throughs

You don’t have to limit your posterior chain workouts to freeweights. The cable pull-though is every bit as effective as barbell and dumbbell Romanian deadlifts but takes a lot of the stress off your lower back. As an added advantage, cable pull-throughs also keep your glutes and hamstrings under almost constant tension.

Steps:

1. Attach a rope handle to a low pulley machine. Stand with your back to the weight stack and astride the handle.
2. Grip the handle in both hands and shuffle forward to tension the cable. Your hands should be in front of your hips. Brace your abs, bend your knees slightly, and pull your shoulders down and back.
3. Push your hips back toward the machine and lean forward. Reach back between your legs toward the weight stack. Do not round your lower back.
4. Drive your hips forward and stand up straight.
5. Reset your core and repeat.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae.
• Secondary: Core, erector spinae.

Benefits:

• A very lower back-friendly exercise.
• Easy to adjust the weight and achieve the ideal degree of overload.
• Keeps your glutes and hamstrings under tension for longer.

Tips:

• No cable machine? No problem! You can also do this exercise with a resistance band.
• The further you reach back between your legs, the more you’ll stretch your hamstrings, and the more challenging this exercise becomes.
• Try a glute and hamstring burning drop-set as a finisher to your next posterior chain workout.

6. Barbell hip thrust

Okay, so barbell hip thrusts don’t look anything like Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells. And yet, they work many of the same muscles and are even more lumbar spine-friendly. The barbell hip thrust is a favorite among powerlifters and booty girls alike. In short, it’s a very effective and popular posterior chain exercise.

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight and your back leaning against a sturdy exercise bench.
2. Place a barbell over your thighs and then roll it up, so it’s over your hips. Next, bend your legs to around 90 degrees and plant your feet firmly on the floor. This is your starting position.
3. Drive your feet into the floor and push your hips up, so they form a straight line with your knees and shoulders.
4. Lower your butt back to the floor and repeat.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings.
• Secondary: Erector spinae, core.

Benefits:

• A very lower back-friendly exercise.
• Maximizes glute engagement.
• A straightforward exercise that’s easy to learn and master.

Tips:

• Place a folded gym mat across your hips for comfort.
• You can also do this exercise without the bench, i.e., a barbell hip thrust.
• Use a booty band to increase glute activation.

7. Hyperextensions

While the best way to train your posterior chain is with weights, there are some bodyweight exercises that are useful, and the best is probably hyperextensions. The movement is almost the same as Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells, except the angle of your body means your body weight provides all of the resistance.

Steps:

1. Stand on the footplates and lean your hips against the leg restraints. Place your hands behind your back (easiest), across your chest (harder), or behind your head (hardest).
2. Bend your knees slightly and brace your core.
3. Hinging from the hips, lean forward and lower your upper body down toward the floor. Try not to round your lower back.
4. Drive your hips forward against the pad and lift your upper body back up.

Muscles targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings.
• Secondary: Erector spinae, core.

Benefits:

• A straightforward exercise to learn and master, so it’s ideal for beginners.
• Easy to make easier or harder just by repositioning your arms.
• An accessible exercise, as most gyms have a hyperextension bench.

Tips:

• Hold a weight plate across your chest to make this exercise harder.
• You can also do this exercise using a stability ball instead of a hyperextension bench.
• Do this exercise one leg at a time to make it much more challenging, like this:

FAQs

Do you have a question about Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells? Don’t worry – we’ve got the answers!

1. How many reps of Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells should I do?

Your repetition range should reflect your training goal. To build muscle, you should do anywhere from 6 to 35 reps, taking your set to within a couple of repetitions of failure. In the past, it was thought you had to stick to the 6-12 rep range to build muscle, but more recent information suggests higher reps can work, too, provided you take your set to near failure.

However, you need to lift heavy weights for low reps to build maximal strength. It’s generally best to work in the 3-5 rep range with 85% or more of your one repetition maximum, or 1RM for short.

2. What weight should I use for Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells?

Unfortunately, this is one of the questions we cannot answer. After all, we don’t know how strong you are, whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced lifter, and what your training goal is. So, this is something you’ll have to figure out for yourself.

One way to do this is to start light and increase your weights over several sets until you feel your muscles being challenged. Make a note of this weight and use it the next time you do Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells.

However, remember to try and increase your weights every couple of weeks to ensure you keep getting stronger and avoid getting stuck in a progress rut.

3. How many times per week should I do Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells?

Twice a week should be sufficient for most exercisers, e.g., Monday and Thursday. You could even do them three times per week, i.e., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but that may be overkill for many people.

If you want to hit your glutes and hamstrings with frequent workouts, it’s generally best to use a variety of different exercises to keep your workouts fresh and interesting and prevent boredom and training plateaus.

For example:

• Monday – Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells
• Wednesday – barbell hip thrust
• Friday – barbell Romanian deadlift

4. Which is better – Romanian deadlifts with a barbell or dumbbells?

These exercises are so similar that they are basically interchangeable. Both variations work the same muscles and use the same movement. One may suit you better than the other, so try each one for a few weeks and see which one you prefer. If you cannot discern any difference between them, you can alternate from one to the other each week.

5. Are Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells safe?

Performed correctly, Romanian deadlifts with dumbbells are reasonably safe. That means you must hinge from your hips, avoid rounding your lower back, and keep the weights close to your legs.

However, with too much weight or poor technique, there is a risk of back injury with any type of Romanian deadlift. However, that can be said about most exercises.

6. Is there a way to do Romanian deadlifts without a barbell or dumbbells?

Some people may find single-leg Romanian deadlifts without weight sufficiently challenging if they’re done for high reps. Alternatively, you can do Romanian deadlifts with a resistance band, like this:

Wrapping Up

The posterior chain is arguably the most important group of muscles in your body. They’re crucial for posture, aesthetics, and athletic performance. Also, training your posterior chain can help you lose weight because, invariably, posterior chain exercises burn a lot of calories.

Of all the posterior chain exercises you can choose from, Romanian deadlifts are among the best. They’re easier to learn than conventional deadlifts and let you lift more weight than good mornings. Plus, done correctly, they’re pretty safe and not too hard on your lower back.

So, if you want to develop glutes, hamstrings, and a lower back you can be proud of, you should add Romanian deadlifts to your workouts – either the barbell or dumbbell version.