Romanian Deadlift vs. Deadlift: Which Exercise Is Best for Your Workouts?

WHETHER YOUR WORKOUT goal is to get stronger, gain muscle, or just to move better, the deadlift will be an integral exercise for your lifting routine. The compound exercise is a lower body staple, as it hammers the glutes and hamstrings, two major posterior muscles. If you’re looking to build mass and level up your strength, a deadlift is a must-do.

But there are multiple approaches to deadlifting, and slightly different styles that will tax your muscle groups differently. Two of the most important variations look similar at first : the conventional barbell deadlift and the Romanian deadlift. There are subtle distinctions between the two (more on that shortly)—but the main question is: Which one deserves more of your attention and effort?

“It isn’t always easy to figure out which one to do,” says Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. Alongside Kurt Ellis, NSCA, Samuel breaks down the differences between the two deadlift styles, and when to do which.

The Standard Deadlift vs. The Romanian DeadliftThe Difference Between the Standard Deadlift and Romanian DeadliftThe primary difference between these two quintessential exercises is the placement of the load (barbell, dumbbells, etc.) at the start of each rep and the range of motion you’ll work through. In the classic deadlift, you pull the bar off of the ground as you rise to a standing position.

The RDL really begins after you’ve picked up the bar, standing with the bar hip-level. Then, when you lower the load down, you’ll stop around mid-shin height (depending on your mobility), never letting it touch the ground before returning to the starting (standing) position. Also, your hips remain higher and your knees remain straighter in the RDL, which is why it is also sometimes referred to as the straight-leg deadlift (although your legs are never completely straight).

Both deadlift variations engage all of the muscle groups mentioned above—but not equally. Because the classic deadlift drops the hips lower and involves more of a knee-bend than the RDL, it engages the quads to a greater degree. The RDL, meanwhile, hammers the hamstrings and glutes more for the very same reason. But no matter what variation you perform, you can be sure that you’re working almost your entire posterior chain, which is key for improving both power production and overall athletic performance.

Which Deadlift Variation Should You Do?From Samuel and Ellis’ perspective, the Romanian Deadlift gets an edge in regard to longevity.

From an injury, load and muscle building standpoint, the experts believe that the RDL is your best all-around bang for your buck. This movement puts you in a better position over the long term to work on aesthetics and mechanics. The load can still be challenging, just nowhere near the plate-stacking poundage needed for the classic deadlift. Believe it or not, not everyone needs to lift 500 pounds off the ground.

All that said, on-ground movements like the classic deadlift should also hold a key spot for them as well in your routine.

Whether you’re using dumbbells or a barbell, kettlebells or resistance bands, the conventional and Romanian deadlifts (and all of their countless variations) are excellent additions to any training program, whether you’re a seasoned lifter or just beginning your fitness journey.

The key is to sprinkle those variations across your weekly routine. Each one has its strengths, and rotating a few at a time through your program will help increase yours. When you want to push major weight and focus on full-body strength, the standard dead will be your best bet. When you want to focus in on glute-ham development and scale down the weight, the RDL will be the choice.

mihailomilovanovic//Getty Images

What Are the Benefits of Romanian Deadlifts?The Romanian Deadlift Can Be SaferWorking toward a one-rep max is not the primary objective when it comes to the Romanian deadlift. With this version, the focus shifts to controlling the weight not from the ground position, but from the hinge and upward. When it comes to using weight, a challengingly heavy load—but not ridiculously ego-driven poundage—should be the goal. “When we think of the Romanian deadlift, I think it’s a safer bet for a lot of people,” Ellis says. “You’re able to control the movement more, and you’re able to essentially load it up how you see fit, and match it to meet your needs.”

The Romanian Deadlift Targets Your Glutes and HamsWhy do people deadlift? Besides the need to pull heavy weight, most of us are in the gym to build muscle, and when it comes to prioritizing posterior muscles—primarily your glutes and hamstrings—the RDL does this arguably better than any other exercise. Since you’re not focusing on heavy weights over everything else, you can turn your full attention to creating some quality time under tension, which will give you that desired backside stretch.

“Personally, I’m a big fan of the Romanian deadlift. I think it’s a better movement for developing your backside hamstrings, glutes,” Ellis says.

Westend61//Getty Images

What Are the Benefits of Standard Barbell Deadlifts?The Standard Barbell Simulates Real Life Movement The standard barbell deadlift is more similar to the movements you make in real life. An in-law slips and falls, and it’s up to you to pick them up off the ground. That’s one example of how the classic deadlift can prepare you for real-world, real-strength situations by having you work on not just knee movement and hip hinge patterns, but by having to utilize your core muscles properly to complete a heavy lift sometimes at unexpected moments.

“The Romanian deadlift is a really, really cute starter lift for anybody,” Samuel says. “But at some point, you’ve got to master that from the ground deadlift so that you can really understand real-world carryover.”

You Can Lift Heavier With Standard DeadliftsIf you want to get strong, you simply need to be including the conventional deadlift in your routine. The time under tension necessary for maximizing your RDL prevents you from actually maxing out on this lift. A standard deadlift from the ground up requires ground to top explosiveness to pull three, four, even five or more plates on each side. And don’t forget: Lifting heavy weights will also help get you jacked.

How to Do the Standard Barbell Deadlift

How to Do It:

​​Step up to the loaded barbell, starting with your feet about shoulder-width apart under the bar. Your shins should be very close to, or actually touching the bar.Push your butt back and hinge at the waist to bend down to grab the bar on either side of your legs. Grasp it in both hands with your palms facing you, overhand grip style.Make sure your hips are lower than your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to set your lats, then engage your core. Keep your neck in a neutral position; don’t look up.Push your feet through the floor and pull the weight up, keeping the bar close to your body. You might find that you scrape your shins with the bar, that’s okay. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the lift, but don’t lean back.Sets and Reps: If you’re new to deadlifting, start with 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps. Make it the first exercise in your routine—you want to approach it without being fatigued to get the most out of the movement.

How to Do the Romanian Deadlift

How to Do It:

Step up to the loaded barbell, starting with your feet about shoulder-width apart under the bar. Your shins should be very close to, or actually touching the bar.Push your butt back and hinge at the waist to bend down to grab the bar on either side of your legs. Grasp it in both hands with your palms facing you, overhand grip style.Make sure your hips are lower than your shoulders. Squeeze your shoulder blades together to set your lats, then engage your core. Keep your neck in a neutral position; don’t look up.Push your feet through the floor and pull the weight up, keeping the bar close to your body. You might find that you scrape your shins with the bar, that’s okay. Squeeze your glutes at the top, but don’t lean back.This is your starting position. Here, squeeze your shoulder blades together, tighten up your abs, and dial in your grip on the bar to keep everything tight and sturdy. Push the butt back as you lower the bar along your thighs. Take your time—think about finding the stretch through the hamstrings as you lower. Keep your head down with your gaze on the floor. Only go to where you start to feel that tightening in the hamstrings—a little below knee height if you can. Hold there for a second before squeezing your glutes to return to standing. Sets and Reps: Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps, focusing on taking your time through each rep. Just like the conventional deadlift, make the RDL the first lift of the day—it’s safest to do when you’re not fatigued from other things.

Jeff Tomko is a freelance fitness writer who has written for Muscle and Fitness, Men’s Fitness, and Men’s Health.

Cori Ritchey, C.S.C.S., is an Associate Health & Fitness Editor at Men’s Health, a certified strength and condition coach, and group fitness instructor. She reports on topics regarding health, nutrition, mental health, fitness, sex, and relationships. You can find more of her work in HealthCentral, Livestrong, Self, and others.