Build strength / 3 min to explore
The hip hinge & RDL
The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is a loaded hip hinge. Your glutes and hamstrings help straighten the hip while your trunk controls your position. Learn the pattern without a weight first.
deadbutt.fyi · General movement education, not individual medical advice.
Give it a try.
- Stand a short step in front of a wall with your back toward it, feet about hip width apart. Soften your knees.
- Send your hips back toward the wall as your torso tips forward. Keep your spine in a comfortable, fairly steady shape.
- Stop at a range you control. A gentle stretch in the backs of the thighs is enough; reaching the floor is not the goal.
- Press into the floor and bring your hips forward to stand. To try an RDL later, hold light weights close to your legs and follow the same pattern.
What you might feel
Work through the backs of your thighs and hips. Hamstrings are supposed to help here. Feeling them does not prove that they are “stealing” the movement from your glutes.
Make it easier
Move closer to the wall and shorten the hinge. Keep a hand on stable support. Skip loading until the movement feels familiar.
When you’re ready for more
Practice an unweighted hinge before adding light weights. Increase the load only when you can keep it close, move smoothly, and finish with a few repetitions still possible. A coach can help you learn.
Keep an eye on
Stop for sharp pain, tingling, or pain traveling down the leg. Do not chase a stronger hamstring stretch, lock your knees, or lean backward at the top.
These are editorial exercise examples, not a validated “dead butt” protocol. Read the evidence and approach →