Should You Do a RDL or Deadlift? Experts Explain the Differences and Benefits

Spend enough time in the fitness world and you’ll start to notice a lot of exercises seem like family members from different countries. There’s the split squat and the rear-foot-elevated split squat (aka the Bulgarian split squat), the kettlebell swing and the Russian kettlebell swing. They’re technically different exercises but they’re definitely related, and it takes a careful eye to tell them apart.

The deadlift and its cousin the Romanian deadlift (RDL) are in the same camp. Both exercises are classic strength moves that build the muscles in your posterior chain, or the back of your body, including your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, says Peloton instructor Jermaine Johnson.

But get to know them better and you’ll realize they do have subtle differences. So how do you know when to choose the RDL versus the deadlift? Is one better than the other? Do they count as the same move in a lower-body workout?

Here, we’ll break down the biggest differences and similarities between the RDL and traditional deadlifts and help you determine which one is best for you.

What Are the Main Differences Between RDLs and Traditional Deadlifts?

If you’re not that familiar with RDLs and deadlifts, the two moves can look pretty similar. But there are some key differences that set them apart.

Form

“The main form difference between RDLs and traditional deadlifts is the knee and hip movement,” Jermaine says. “Traditional deadlifts start with the barbell on the ground, involving significant knee bend as you lift. The barbell stays close to the body as you drive through your legs and hips.”

But with RDLs, you start standing with a lot less bend in your knees. “The focus is on hip flexion, moving your hips backward as you lower the barbell, emphasizing hamstrings and glutes,” he says. (You might also use dumbbells for RDLs instead of a barbell.)

Muscles Worked

Because of that minimal bend in your knees, RDLs focus more specifically on your hamstrings and glutes. “The limited knee bend and hip hinge pattern place continuous tension on these muscles throughout the movement,” Jermaine says. “This makes RDLs excellent for isolating and strengthening the hamstrings and glutes.”

Traditional deadlifts, on the other hand, work a wider variety of muscles, “including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and upper body muscles like traps and lats,” he says.

Range of Motion

A traditional deadlift takes your body through a larger range of motion compared to a RDL. You’ll start with your weights (usually a barbell) on the ground, and you’ll lift until your hips and knees are locked. When you lower back down, the weight plates on the barbell generally touch the ground between each rep. You might hear fitness instructors say to push through your feet and legs to lift the weights.

For a Romanian deadlift, though, you’ll start with your weight in front of your hips and you’ll lower it down only until about the middle of your shins before lifting back up, according to the American Council on Exercise (ACE). In other words, the weight doesn’t touch the ground between reps. You might hear this exercise described more as pulling through your hips.

Benefits

Both movements will help you build lower body strength. But they have their own unique benefits, too.

Because it’s a compound movement that works multiple muscle groups at the same time, the traditional deadlift delivers more total body strength, power, and muscle mass, Jermaine says. 

“RDLs are more specialized, focusing on the hamstrings and glutes, improving posterior chain strength and flexibility,” he says.

Indeed, a small 2018 study in the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness found deadlifts recruit more muscles than Romanian deadlifts. 

How RDLs and Traditional Deadlifts Are Similar 

That said, there’s no denying RDLs and traditional deadlifts have plenty in common.

Form

“Both use a hip hinge mechanic, meaning the movement starts from the hips, not the knees,” Jermaine says. “This technique is crucial for developing lower back and posterior chain strength.”

To utilize that hip hinge, you’ll start with your feet firmly planted hip-width apart and facing forward in both exercises.

You’ll also keep your spine in a neutral position throughout both movements “to prevent injury and ensure proper form,” he says. That requires keeping your core engaged so you don’t accidentally arch or round your back.

In both exercises, you want to keep the weights you use close to your body, usually just in front of your shins.

And while beginners can definitely learn how to do deadlifts and RDLs, the form can be a little tricky to learn at first for both exercises. Both movements need to be done slowly and with control for safety and for them to be effective.

Try doing both in front of a mirror so you can keep an eye on your form as you grow more comfortable with the movements. You can also take a video of yourself and make adjustments after you watch the playback.

Muscles Worked

Both exercises work your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles. They also engage your core, “due to the emphasis on balance,” Jermaine says.

Benefits 

RDLs and traditional deadlifts build lower body strength, especially on the backside of your body. That’s especially important for runners and cyclists who tend to be quad dominant. In fact, variations of deadlifts are among the most effective lower body exercises for activating your gluteus maximus, the largest and strongest of your butt muscles, according to 2020 research in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.

You’ll improve your posture and build core strength with both exercises, too, and you’ll also build forearm and grip strength, per the ACE. And you can do both with lots of different types of resistance tools, including barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and bands.

No matter which move you pick, you’ll gain strength to crush everyday tasks like picking up that heavy bag of cat litter, mowing the lawn, or tossing your carry-on into the overhead compartment on your next flight.  

Romanian Deadlift Benefits

As well as all the great news above, according to the ACE, RDLs also help you:

An added bonus of the RDL? You can do a single-leg Romanian deadlift, which will help isolate your glutes even more and is even more challenging for your balance.

Deadlift Benefits

In addition to the perks above, per the ACE, traditional deadlifts also help you:

RDLs vs. Deadlifts: How Do You Pick One?

Deciding which lower body exercise to do really comes down to your goals, Jermaine says. “If your goal is overall strength and power, traditional deadlifts are better. For targeting specific muscles like the hamstrings and glutes, RDLs are more beneficial.”

As a runner, he focuses on RDLs during race season to strengthen his posterior chain muscles. But he also does traditional deadlifts to build muscle mass. “Incorporating both exercises can provide a balanced approach to strength training, addressing different aspects of muscular development,” he says.

One way to do that is to alternate between the two moves. “For example, do traditional deadlifts on one day to build overall power and muscle mass, then perform RDLs on another day to focus on hamstring and glute strength. Ensure adequate recovery between sessions to prevent overtraining,” he says. 

Then you can repeat the whole sequence the next week. “By integrating both lifts, you can optimize your strength training routine, targeting both general strength and specific muscle groups effectively,” Jermaine adds. You probably don’t want to do both exercises in the same workout because of their similarities, but if you swap one for the other entirely, you miss out on the unique benefits of that movement.

No matter what, “prioritize proper form and technique to prevent injury and maximize benefits,” he says. That means sticking to an amount of weight you can lift safely and with control. 

And don’t forget, RDLs and deadlifts are just one part of your plan to reach your goals: “A well-rounded fitness program that includes mobility, flexibility, and core stability exercises can massively complement these lifts,” Jermaine says.

Takeaway 

Traditional deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts are two similar lower body exercises that strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and back (or your posterior chain), improve your posture, and strengthen your grip.

They can both be part of your fitness routine; traditional deadlifts are better for building overall strength, while RDLs isolate your glutes and hamstrings better. 

Traditional deadlifts begin with the weight on the floor and require more bend in your knees, while RDLs start with the weight in your hands in front of your hips and use a smaller range of motion and less bend in your knees.

Whichever move you choose, make sure you’re using perfect form to get the biggest benefits and to protect yourself from injury.