The 10 Best Romanian Deadlift Alternatives

Romanian deadlifts are a popular deadlift variation primarily used to build and strengthen the posterior chain, including the glutes and hamstrings.

However, there are several reasons why you may need an alternative. For example, you may not have access to a barbell, you want to isolate a specific muscle, you have a muscular imbalance, or are addressing an injury.

The good news is several exercises can serve as a substitute for the Romanian deadlift! Better yet, we’ve narrowed it down to the top 10 Romanian deadlift alternatives based on safety, equipment availability, effectiveness, and efficiency.

Keep reading to see which ones made our list and how to get the most out of them!

10 Best Romanian Deadlift Alternatives

1. Deadlifts
2. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts
3. Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts
4. Stiff Leg Deadlifts
5. Barbell Hip Thrusts
6. 45-Degree Hip Extensions
7. Good Mornings
8. Leg Curls
9. Glute Hamstring Raise
10. Cable Pull-Throughs

Deadlifts

When to perform deadlifts

Deadlifts are at the top of our Romanian deadlift alternatives list for those wanting to gain strength and power, compete in a strength sport, such as powerlifting, or perform a more functional exercise. The main difference between a Romanian deadlift and a conventional deadlift is that the latter starts from the ground, whereas the former starts from a standing position. 

The Romanian deadlift is geared more toward hypertrophy because it emphasizes the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift. So after performing the Romanian deadlift, you may notice more soreness compared to the conventional deadlift, which emphasizes the lift’s concentric (upward) portion.

For those looking to increase their strength and power as opposed to just gaining muscle, the deadlift from the floor is an exercise that you should consider. Deadlifts are also used in various strength competitions, so they are mandatory if you plan to compete in the future.

Deadlifts should be performed 1-2 times weekly near the beginning of a workout because they are very physically demanding. It’s also important to note that there are several deadlift variations, such as conventional, sumo, and trap-bar. If you want to target more of the glutes, a sumo deadlift is a great option.

How to perform deadlifts

1. To do this exercise, you will need an Olympic barbell, Olympic or bumper plates, and weight clips. A deadlift platform is not mandatory but if you do have access to one, consider using it!
2. Load an appropriate amount of weight on each side of the barbell, then attach the weight clips.
3. Assume a shoulder-width stance and step just under the bar so it’s directly above your midfoot.
4. Lean forward, push your hips back, and slightly bend your knees until you can grab the barbell with your arms extended. You can use a pronated (double overhand) or mixed-grip (one hand over, one hand under). Your hands should be just outside of your knees.
5. Before starting, lift your chest, brace your core, look straight ahead, and take a deep breath.
6. Begin the movement by engaging your lats by pulling your shoulder blades down and back to pull the slack out of the barbell.
7. Lift the barbell by driving through your heels. Once the barbell passes your knees, thrust your hips forward to complete the lockout.
8. At the top of the movement, pause for 1-2 seconds, then lower the barbell back to the ground by reversing the movement. Push your hips back, lean forward, and bend your knees. Try to keep the barbell as close to your body as possible.
9. Allow the barbell to come to a dead stop on the floor before performing the next rep.
10. Repeat this process for the desired number of reps and sets.

Check out the video below from Jeff Nippard to see how to perform a conventional deadlift with perfect technique!

Build A Bigger Deadlift With Perfect Technique (Conventional Form)

Deadlift Tips

• If your grip is a limiting factor, use chalk, lifting straps, hook grip, or a mixed grip.
• If you have a weightlifting belt use it to improve your bracing and core stability.
• Keep your back as neutral as possible throughout the movement.
• Flat-soled shoes, deadlift slippers, or barefoot work best for this exercise.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts

When to perform dumbbell Romanian deadlifts

Dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are an ideal Romanian deadlift substitute for those without access to a barbell but still wanting to primarily target the glutes and hamstrings. Other than the fact that you’re holding dumbbells as opposed to a barbell, these two exercises are nearly identical. If you want the closest alternative to a barbell Romanian deadlift, this is it!

In fact, some people prefer dumbbell Romanian deadlifts over barbell Romanian deadlifts because they have a better mind-muscle connection and achieve a larger range of motion. 

How to perform dumbbell Romanian deadlifts

1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and rotate your wrist until they are in a pronated position. The dumbbells should be directly in front of your upper thighs with your arms fully extended.
2. Assume a shoulder-width stance or slightly closer than a shoulder-width stance.
3. Take a deep breath, brace your core, and look straight ahead.
4. Begin the movement by pushing your hips back, leaning forward, and slightly bending your knees.
5. Once you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and the dumbbells move just past your knees, pause for 1-2 seconds.
6. Exhale as you straighten your knees and bring your hips forward to return to a standing position.
7. At the top of the rep, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings.
8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets. 

In the video below, Scott Herman demonstrates how to perform a dumbbell Romanian deadlift with proper form!

How To: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Dumbbell Romanian deadlift tips

• If your grip is a limiting factor, use straps and/or chalk.
• Flat-soled shoes work best for this exercise.
• For those that are flexible, try raising your toes with plates to pre-stretch your hamstrings.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts

When to perform single-leg Romanian Deadlifts

Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are a good exercise alternative for anyone needing to correct a muscular imbalance, recovering from an injury, or wanting to improve their balance. It’s quite common for someone to have one leg that’s stronger than the other. Over time, strength discrepancies can lead to an asymmetrical physique, increased injury risk, and negative effects on performance.

One of the best ways you can address a muscular imbalance is by performing unilateral exercises. For the best results, start with the weaker side and match the amount of weight, reps, and sets with the stronger side.

A single-leg Romanian deadlift is also great for improving balance as well as strength and stability throughout the posterior chain. What’s more, this variation is a bit less taxing on the lower back. We recommend performing this exercise near the beginning of a lower body workout.

How to perform single-leg Romanian deadlifts

1. To do this exercise, you will need a kettlebell or dumbbell.
2. Grab the dumbbell with your right hand using a pronated grip.
3. Assume a stance that’s slightly closer than shoulder-width with your toes pointed forward. 
4. Take a deep breath, look straight ahead, brace your core, and start to lean forward by extending your left leg behind you and slightly bending your right leg.
5. Once you feel a stretch in the right hamstring muscles and the dumbbell is just above mid-shin, pause for 1-2 seconds.
6. Exhale as you return to the starting position by leaning back, extending your right leg, and bringing your left leg forward.
7. At the top of the rep, squeeze your right glute/hamstring.
8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

Watch the video below to see how to perform a single-leg Romanian deadlift!

Single Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Single-leg Romanian deadlift tips

• Keep a slight bend in the working leg, but don’t let the dumbbell or kettlebell touch the ground at the bottom of the rep.
• You can use just one dumbbell or kettlebell.
• Lift the non-working leg to stay in line with the torso.
• Use lifting straps if your grip is a limiting factor.
• Flat-soled shoes work best for this exercise.

Stiff Leg Deadlifts

When to perform stiff leg deadlifts

Stiff leg deadlifts are a good alternative if you’ve been doing Romanian deadlifts for a while but have hit a plateau or are looking to switch things up. People often mistake stiff leg deadlifts for Romanian deadlifts because they are very similar exercises.

The primary difference between a stiff leg deadlift and a Romanian deadlift is the range of motion. During a Romanian deadlift, maintain a slight bend in your knee and stop once the bar reaches mid-shin. With a stiff leg deadlift, your knee should remain as straight as possible but shouldn’t be fully locked out, and the bar should come to a dead stop on the floor.

As a result, the stiff leg deadlift emphasizes more of the lower back and hamstring muscles. On the other hand, the Romanian deadlift engages more of the glutes. So if you want to place more tension on the hamstrings, the stiff leg deadlift is the way to go.

You can perform the stiff leg deadlift with dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell. Peerform stiff leg deadlifts near the beginning of a workout since it’s a demanding compound exercise.

How to perform stiff leg deadlifts

1. Load an appropriate amount of weight on each side of a barbell.
2. Step up to the barbell, and assume a slightly closer than shoulder-width stance with your toes pointed forward. The barbell should be directly above your midfoot.
3. Lean forward by pushing your hips back while keeping your knees relatively straight; a small bend is fine. Avoid completely locking out your knees.
4. Extend your arms and grab the barbell with a shoulder-width pronated grip.
5. Take a deep breath, brace your core, look straight ahead, and begin lifting the barbell off the ground by driving through your heels.
6. Once the barbell passes your knees, push your hips forward to complete the rep.
7. At the top of the rep, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings.
8. Reverse the motion to bring the barbell back to the floor. The barbell should come to a dead-stop between each rep.
9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

In the video below, Scott Herman explains what’s the difference between a Romanian deadlift and a stiff leg deadlift by demonstrating both exercises!

Romanian Deadlift Vs Stiff Leg Deadlift- What's The Difference?

Stiff leg deadlift tips

• Use straps if your grip is a limiting factor.
• Make sure the barbell comes to a dead stop between each rep.
• Flat-soled shoes work best for this exercise.
• A slight bend in the knee is fine, but there shouldn’t be much movement whatsoever at the knees.

Barbell Hip Thrusts

When to perform barbell hip thrusts

Barbell hip thrusts are a great Romanian deadlift substitute for those wanting to target more of their glutes or those experiencing lower back pain when doing Romanian deadlifts. Barbell hip thrusts place less strain on the lower back, are loaded at the hips so your grip won’t be a limiting factor, and emphasize more of the glutes as opposed to the hamstrings.

Barbell hip thrusts are not only excellent for building your glutes, but they also have huge carry-over to squats and deadlifts by improving hip extension strength. It’s quite common to have issues with the lockout on a squat or deadlift. Performing hip thrusts directly trains that part of the movement so that will help you lift more weight with other exercises.

Not to mention, the barbell hip thrust can be loaded heavily, which is great for building strength and muscle. Since the barbell hip thrust is a compound exercise, perform it near the beginning of a lower body workout. We also recommend using a hip thrust pad so that it’s a more comfortable movement.

How to perform barbell hip thrusts

1. To do this exercise, you will need an Olympic barbell, Olympic plates, a hip thrust pad, and a flat bench.
2. Load an appropriate amount of weight on each side of the barbell and place it next to a flat bench. Set the hip thrust pad in the middle of the barbell.
3. Sit down on the floor, brace your upper back against the bench, and roll the barbell over your legs until the pad is directly above your hips/pelvis.
4. Bend your knees until your feet are flat on the floor and grab each side of the barbell with a pronated grip to help stabilize it.
5. Take a deep breath, brace your core, and maintain a forward eye gaze, then begin the exercise by driving through your heels to extend your hips upward.
6. At the top of the rep, squeeze your glutes and hold for 1-2 seconds.
7. Return to the starting position by lowering your hips back to the floor.
8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

Watch the video below from Mind Pump TV to see how to do the barbell hip thrust correctly!

How To Do A Barbell Hip Thrust The RIGHT Way! (FIX THIS!!!)

Barbell hip thrust tips

• Focus on driving through your heels.
• Keep your knees directed outward throughout the movement.
• Ensure that your shins are vertical at the top of the rep.
• Keep your ribs down, especially at the top of the rep.
• Make sure you achieve full hip extension by posteriorly tilting your pelvis.

45-Degree Hip Extensions

When to perform 45-degree hip extensions

45-degree hip extensions are an excellent Romanian deadlift alternative if you don’t have access to barbells or dumbbells or you want to perform a similar movement without taxing your upper body. 45-degree hip extensions strengthen the glutes and hamstrings in the shortened range while minimizing lower back fatigue.

Performing this exercise can help with the lockout on a deadlift or squat while growing your glutes and hamstrings. Another benefit to this exercise is not having to set anything up. All you need to do is adjust a hyperextension machine and grab a dumbbell, kettlebell, or plate if needed.

To target the glutes more, point your toes out, slightly round your upper back, and don’t hyperextend your back at the top of the rep. Your glutes and hamstrings should be doing all the work to lift your upper body. You can perform this exercise at any point during a lower-body-focused workout.

How to perform 45-degree hip extensions

1. Adjust the height of the hyperextension to where it’s positioned on your upper thighs.
2. Place a weight next to the machine so you can easily grab it if needed.
3. Step onto the platform, rotate your feet so they are pointed out at about a 45-60 degree angle, and lean forward so the pads support the upper legs.
4. Lean forward at the waist to grab the dumbbell, kettlebell, or plate. Slightly round your upper back and maintain that position throughout the movement.
5. Take a deep breath, then raise your upper body by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings until your torso is in line with your lower body.
6. At the top of the rep, squeeze your glutes/hamstrings and pause for 1-2 seconds.
7. Exhale as you slowly lower yourself back to the starting position by leaning forward and relaxing your glutes/hamstrings.
8. Repeat for the desired number of sets repetitions and sets.

Make sure you’re performing this exercise correctly by watching the video below!

45 Degree Hip Extension [Glutes & Hamstrings Bias]

45-degree back extension tips

• Point your toes out to emphasize more of the glutes.
• Don’t hyperextend at the top of the rep.
• You shouldn’t feel this movement at all in the lower back.

Good Mornings

When to perform good mornings

Good mornings are a popular exercise within the strongman and powerlifting community. Unlike a Romanian deadlift, the weight is loaded on the upper back, so you don’t have to worry about your grip giving out.

Good mornings are ideal for those wanting to strengthen more of their erectors in addition to the glutes and hamstrings. Since the weight is placed on the upper back and you have to hinge forward, your core and erectors are a lot more engaged.

Some argue that the good morning has greater carry-over to squats, especially low bar squats. On the other hand, the Romanian deadlift has better carry-over to the traditional deadlift than good mornings. Depending on what you’re looking to strengthen and what lift you want to improve, that will help you choose which of these two exercises is best for you.

Good mornings are quite taxing on the entire body; therefore it’s a good idea to perform them near the beginning of a lower body-focused workout.

How to perform good morning

1. Adjust a squat rack to just below shoulder height, place an Olympic-sized barbell on it and load an appropriate amount of weight on each side. Use weight clips to ensure the plates don’t slide off.
2. Step under the barbell and place the bar on your upper/mid traps. Grab each side of the barbell just outside of shoulder width.
3. Un-rack the barbell by standing up straight and taking 2-3 steps backward.
4. Assume a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance with your toes pointed slightly out.
5. Take a deep breath, brace your core, and look straight ahead. Being to lean forward as you push your hips back while maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
6. Once you feel a good stretch in your hamstrings and your torso is almost parallel with the floor, pause for 1-2 seconds.
7. Exhale as you push your hips forward and extend your torso to return to standing.
8. At the top of the rep, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings.
9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

Watch the video below from Jeff Nippard to see how to perform a good morning that right way!

HOW TO DO THE GOOD MORNING EXERCISE: Build Your Glutes, Hamstrings And Squat With Perfect Technique

Good morning tips

• Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
• Hinge forward as far as you comfortably can.
• Start with an empty barbell or just your body weight to get the movement down.

Leg Curls

When to perform leg curls

A hamstring leg curl is a good Romanian deadlift alternative for those wanting to isolate their hamstrings, minimize lower back fatigue, and avoid pain/discomfort when doing hip-hinging movements. The hamstrings are classified as biarticular muscles, meaning they cross two joints. Therefore, the hamstrings perform knee flexion as well as hip extension.

It’s important to note that one of the hamstrings muscles, the short head of the biceps femoris, doesn’t cross the hip, so it only is activated through knee flexion. If you exclusively perform hip-hinge movements, you’re missing out on targeting that muscle of the hamstring. It’s often recommended to perform both hip-hinge and knee flexion.

Leg curls are an isolation movement that isn’t very physically demanding, so you can perform them at any point during a leg-focused workout. Depending on your gym, there are several leg curl machine variations you can do, such as lying, seated, standing, etc. In the example below, we will cover the most common variation, the lying leg curl.

How to perform leg curls

1. Adjust the leg pad so it rests just above the back of your ankles, then select an appropriate amount of weight.
2. Lay prone on the machine, hook the back of your ankles under the leg support pad, and grab the handles near your head.
3. Before beginning the movement, push your hips into the pad, brace your core, and take a deep breath. Avoid letting your lower back arch as you perform the exercise.
4. Once you’re in the proper position, focus on bringing your heel to your butt to curl the weight up.
5. At the top of the rep, squeeze your hamstrings and hold for 1-2 seconds.
6. Exhale as you slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.
7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

There are a lot of mistakes that people make when performing a leg curl; make sure you’re not doing this exercise incorrectly by watching the video from Renaissance Periodization below!

9 Leg Curl Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Leg curl tips

• If you have a muscular imbalance, you can do a single-leg curl.
• Plantar flex (point) your toes to minimize calf recruitment.
• Keep your hips braced against the pad at all times, don’t cheat by arching your lower back as you lift the weight up.

Glute Hamstring Raise

When to perform glute hamstring raises

Glute hamstring raises are fairly popular in the Crossfit, powerlifting, and strongman community because they are a more functional version of a leg curl. Furthermore, they engage the glutes, whereas the leg curl does not. Glute hamstring raises are quite challenging, so they are typically performed with just your body weight.

The only thing you need to perform this exercise is a glute hamstring developer machine. If you don’t have access to a GHD, you can also perform a similar movement on the floor by hooking the back of your heels under sturdy support, which is called a nordic hamstring curl.

How to perform glute hamstring raises

1. Adjust the position of the foot platform so that the top of your thighs are against the support pad and your knee is in the gap.
2. Lock your feet into the foot platform, place your upper thighs on the support pad, and start in an upright position with your knees bent and hip extended.
3. Cross your arms in front of you, take a deep breath, brace your core, and begin extending your knees to lower your torso towards the floor.
4. Once your legs are almost straight, pause for 1-2 seconds, then begin to raise yourself back up by pushing your knees into the pad and contracting your hamstrings to flex your knees and extend the hips.
5. Pause at the top of the rep for 1-2 seconds and squeeze your glutes/hamstrings. 
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

Check out the video below from Barbell Shrugged to see how to perform glute hamstring raises with good form!

How To Perform Glute Ham Raises - Technique WOD 96

Glute hamstring raise tips

• If you need to add resistance, you can use a resistance band, hold a plate, or wear a weighted vest.
• Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
• Your feet should maintain contact with the foot platform at all times.

Cable Pull Through

When to perform cable pull-throughs

The last exercise we will highlight is the cable pull-through, which has a very similar movement pattern as the Romanian deadlift, hip thrust, and good morning. This exercise is great for strengthening and building the glutes and hamstrings while minimizing lower back involvement.

If you only have access to cables or prefer them over free weights, then the cable pull-through is one of the best exercises you can do for the posterior chain. We recommend using a rope attachment as opposed to a straight bar or EZ-bar attachment. The key to correctly performing this exercise is maintaining a neutral spine, pushing your hips as far back as possible, and keeping a slight bend in your knees.

Even though this is a compound exercise, it’s not as taxing as some of the other exercises we’ve mentioned, so you can do this movement at any time during a lower-body-focused workout. The cable pull-through is more suited for hypertrophy as opposed to strength, so using a higher rep range (10-15 reps) is ideal.

How to perform cable pull-throughs

1. Adjust a cable pulley to the lowest setting, attach a rope to it, and select an appropriate amount of weight.
2. Stand with a slightly wider than shoulder width stance facing away from the cable.
3. Lean forward and grab the rope with a neutral grip, then stand up so the cable is in between your legs.
4. Take 2-3 steps forward so that there’s a good amount of tension on the cable.
5. Inhale, brace your core, then lean forward as you push your hips back while keeping a slight bend in your knees.
6. Once you feel a good stretch in your glutes and hamstrings, pause for 1-2 seconds.
7. Return to a standing position by thrusting your hips forward.
8. At the top of the rep, squeeze your glutes and hamstrings for 1-2 seconds.
9. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions and sets.

In the video below, Colossus Fitness demonstrates how to perform a cable pull-through and highlights common mistakes to avoid.

How to PROPERLY Perform a Glute Pull Through | Fix Your Cable Pull Through Form NOW!

Cable pull-through tips

• Stand far enough from the cable pulley so there’s tension on the cable at all times.
• Achieve full hip extension at the top of each rep.
• Maintain a neutral spine by looking straight ahead throughout the movement.

Muscles worked by the Romanian deadlift

The Romanian deadlift primarily works the hamstrings and glutes, but it also engages the erectors, core, forearms, adductor magnus, and calves.

Primary

• Hamstrings
  • Biceps femoris
  • Semitendinosus
  • Semimembranosus
• Glutes
  • Gluteus maximus
  • Gluteus minimus

Secondary

• Erector spinae
• Core
• Forearms
• Adductor magnus
• Calves

Reasons to choose a Romanian deadlift alternative

Romanian deadlifts are an effective exercise, but they may not be the best for you depending on your goals, physical abilities, or equipment selection.

Here are some common reasons why you should consider choosing from our list of Romanian deadlift alternatives:

• You have an injury that prevents you from performing a Romanian deadlift properly.
• You don’t have access to a barbell or plates.
• You want to isolate the glutes over the hamstrings or vice versa.
• You’ve been doing Romanian deadlifts for an extended time and are no longer progressing.

As you can see, there are several reasons why choosing a Romanian deadlift alternative is warranted.  Fortunately, whether you want to gain strength, muscle, or do both, no exercise is mandatory.

Depending on your unique situation, you can pick which exercise will be best. All that matters is that you enjoy the exercise, it’s being done correctly, you’re progressing, and it’s working the target muscles.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between a Romanian deadlift and a stiff-leg deadlift?

The main difference between a Romanian deadlift and a stiff-leg deadlift is that the Romanian deadlift starts from a standing position, whereas a stiff-leg deadlift starts from the floor.

Although both exercises target the same muscles, the stiff-leg deadlift emphasizes the hamstrings and lower back muscles to a greater extent. The Romanian deadlift better engages the glutes.

Lastly, the knee remains relatively straight during a stiff-leg deadlift, whereas it’s allowed to bend slightly more during Romanian deadlifts. Both exercises are great for building and strengthening the entire posterior chain, so we suggest trying both to see which one you like more.

Are Romanian deadlifts necessary?

Romanian deadlifts are not necessary for increasing the size and strength of your glutes and hamstrings. That said, they are very effective, require minimal equipment, and are safe when performed correctly. For optimal hamstring/glute development, it’s important to do a variety of exercises including a combination of hip hinge and leg curl movements.

As we mentioned in the leg curl section, the short head of the biceps femoris is not engaged during hip extension, so you must do knee flexion to activate it. Whether you do a Romanian deadlift or not, it’s a good idea to do a hip hinge variation once or twice a week in addition to a leg curl variation.

Key Takeaways

Numerous exercises share the same movement pattern and activate the same muscles as a Romanian deadlift. As long as you are performing a similar exercise, you can choose from various Romanian deadlift alternatives based on what you enjoy most.

If you want to improve a certain muscle, you should look into doing an isolation exercise that targets that specific muscle, such as a leg curl or glute kickback, as opposed to a compound exercise. Regardless of your situation, you can find an exercise that’s an adequate substitution.

Other Alternative Exercises

If you enjoyed this post, check out our other roundups of the best alternatives for other exercises.

About Heather Jacques

Heather Jacques is a former collegiate athlete that graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training. Along with writing content for Lift Vault, Heather works for one of the fastest growing sports nutrition companies, Axe & Sledge Supplements, as their product specialist. Heather is an avid lifter, snowboarder, and outdoor enthusiast. She was born in Colorado, raised in northern Michigan, and currently resides in Pennsylvania. Heather's primary goal is to help others achieve their health and fitness goals through education, motivation, and inspiration.