Barbell Romanian Deadlift To Row

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width.
2. Set your shoulder blades back and down, engage your core, and maintain a slight bend in your knees.
3. Position the bar against your thighs with your weight distributed through your mid-foot and heels.

How to do it

1. Inhale and hinge at the hips, pushing your glutes back and lowering the bar along your legs until it reaches just below the knees.
2. Hold the hinged position and exhale as you row the barbell toward your lower ribs, driving your elbows back and squeezing your shoulder blades together.
3. Inhale as you lower the bar back to the below-knee position with control, maintaining a flat back.
4. Exhale and drive your hips forward to return to a full standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Form checklist

• Keep the barbell in contact with or very close to your legs throughout the hinge.
• Maintain a neutral spine from head to tailbone; do not let your lower back round during the row.
• Ensure your torso remains parallel to the floor or at a consistent 45-degree angle during the rowing phase.
• Avoid using momentum or 'jerking' the weight up during the row.

Pro tips

• Pause for a split second at the bottom of the hinge before rowing to ensure your hamstrings are fully loaded and your spine is stable.
• Focus on pulling the bar toward your hips rather than your chest to maximize lat engagement and keep the traps from taking over.

Make it harder

• Perform a 'double row' at the bottom of every RDL to increase time under tension for the back musculature.
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase of the RDL to 3-4 seconds to increase posterior chain hypertrophy.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell romanian deadlift to row work?

The barbell romanian deadlift to row primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell romanian deadlift to row?

The barbell romanian deadlift to row uses barbell.

Is the barbell romanian deadlift to row good for beginners?

The barbell romanian deadlift to row is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Around The World Superman HoldIntermediate · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and trapezius
• Axle DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell Clean PullAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
• Barbell DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius