If Your Back Hurts After Romanian Deadlifts, Here’s What You’re Doing Wrong
Fix your form, reduce pain.
Fix your form, reduce pain.
If deadlifts hurt your lower back, you aren’t alone. Many people round their back while deadlifting, which puts extra strain on the erector spinae (lower back) muscles, putting them at risk for strain or injury.
You might assume back pain is the price you pay for doing deadlifts—or use it as an excuse to skip them altogether. But pain shouldn’t be the norm with this move.
One solution: switch to a Romanian deadlift (RDL), which shifts the focus to your lower body, says trainer Alexandra Redmond, CPT in her latest Instagram post.
With this deadlift variation, your glutes and hamstrings do the bulk of the work, taking the pressure off your lower back.
Here’s how to perform Romanian deadlifts safely, and form tips for warding off lower back pain.
Below, the most common RDL mistakes that could be causing pain—and how to fix them.
Cranking your neck can cause your lower back to arch, putting additional strain on your low back. Keep your chin tucked, and your head in line with your spine.
If there’s too much space between your body and the dumbbells, it takes the work away from the hamstrings and glutes (which should be major players in this lift) and puts strain on your lower back. The fix: think about “painting your legs” with the weight.
Your goal shouldn’t be to reach the ground. After your hamstrings fully lengthen, your lower back will take over the work. Stop lowering when you can’t push your hips back any further.
Rather than thinking about an RDL as an up-and-down movement, reframe it as horizontal. How? Focus on pushing your hips back behind your ankles. The weight will naturally move up and down as you move back.