Thursday, August 19, 2010
General Question
I was just wondering what peoples opinions were of the "Romanian" deadlift? Saw some video on youtube and was curious about its value as an exercise. I'll hang-up now and listen.
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People I've lifted with have had very different opinions on this. Personally, I think it is a decent assistance lift for the posterior chain (esp hamstrings), but I would prefer good mornings.
ReplyDeleteSome of the strongest people I've lifted with have considered them completely useless, though.
Supposedly they target the hamstrings more, but I've personally never really seen the point. It's not a bad exercise, but it isn't one of the "core" lifts (squat, bench, deadlift, military press, maybe pullup, row, power clean, etc.).
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that RDLs were never an integral part of any routine I did. More generally, tough it may not be the right POV, I usually think of weakpoints in terms of movements parts rather than specific muscles. For instance, "my lockout is weak" instead of "my triceps (or some other muscles) are weak". And then, if the reason is physical weakness (could also be technical), I'll concentrate on / add / ... exercises that will bring up my lockout. In practical terms, I'm probably doing exactly what other people are doings, just with a different POV.
ReplyDeleteI am not a fan of Romanians. If you want to work deadlift accessory, good mornings are more effective for targeting the same muscle group. Romanians shouldn't work the hamstrings if performed properly as the lifter is supposed to begin the ascent once the hamstrings engage (so as to keep the focus on glutes and lower back). If you're looking for hamstring work, I think stiff-legged are a good assistance exercise. Deadlifting off blocks is also more effective substitute than Romanians, in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if you're bored and want to just do something different, they are an ok substitute.