The average amount of weight a woman can lift with a Romanian deadlift with dumbbells is 26 kg. On the other hand, it is 41 kg for men. You should try the dumbbell rdl single-leg if you like to stay in shape and work out with dumbbells. The reason why women should deadlift is that it is one of the best ways to strengthen the back muscles, including the hamstrings, gluteus, lower back, and adductors. If you do it right, it will also strengthen your core and make it less likely that you will hurt your lower back or hamstrings.
Muscle Groups targeted by the Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells
1. Glutes
One of the main muscles used in the dumbbell RDL is the Gluteus Maximus. It is one of the largest muscles in the lower body and is in charge of many things, like turning the thigh in and out. Strong glutes keep your lower back and hamstrings from getting hurt and let you sit for longer.
2. Hamstrings
The back of your thigh is the location of this muscle group, comprised of three distinct muscles: the semitendinosus, the semimembranosus, and the biceps femoris. The Romanian deadlift with dumbbells allows a flexible working of the hamstring muscles. The first two muscles are located medially, closer to the body's center, and the third and final muscle is located laterally, closer to the body's edges. These muscles are in charge of extending and flexing the knee joint in both directions.
3. Lower Back
The Romanian DL isn't meant to strengthen your lower back, but it does work on it when you bend and straighten your body. The dumbbell RDL single-leg also works on the core, hips, and quadriceps to some degree, in addition to the three muscles listed above.
4. Forearms
Because you must be able to keep your hold throughout the movement, the Romanian deadlift is a great exercise for your forearms.
How to do Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells?
- Get a pair of dumbbells that are a good weight for you. If you don't know how heavy to go, start with less weight and add more if needed.
- Stand with your feet about as far apart as your hips and your knees soft and slightly bent. Hold the dumbbells with the palms facing your legs, in front of your hips.
- Assume a neutral spine position. Keep your chest out and your core tight by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Bend at the waist and lower the weight toward the ground. Bring the weight down until your hamstrings and glutes feel tight. You may bend your knees more as you go down, but the knee angle should stay the same as you go up and down.
- To lift the weight back up, squeeze your glutes and push your feet into the floor.
- Repeat as often as you need to. 10 to 12 reps in 3 to 4 sets should be good to start with.
Benefits of Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells
1. Strengthens Muscles
The RDL is a compound exercise that uses many muscles simultaneously, especially the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. Strengthening these muscles makes you less likely to get hurt and helps you jump, run, deadlift, and squat better. So, if you only want to use dumbbells and your goal is to get stronger and bigger, you can add them to your dumbbell training programs.
2. Flexion and Extension
The Romanian deadlift with dumbbells helps us learn how to move and work our hips while standing. Learning the right biomechanics of bending and extending the hip while standing helps us with basic exercises like squatting and other variations of the deadlift. Whether you do squats or deadlifts, how your hips stretches & flexibility are important.
3. Improves Balance and Flexibility
The different ways to do DB RDL help improve flexibility and balance. For example, the single-leg RDL requires you to keep your torso parallel to the floor and lift your other leg behind you while keeping your body weight on one leg. These moves make it easier to keep your body in balance and make you more flexible.
Mistakes to avoid while Performing Romanian Deadlift with Dumbbells
1. Round Back
Some beginners may not understand the "hip hinge" cue well and bend their lower back instead of their hips. Remember that the only part of your body that should move during an RDL form is your hips. During the lift, your back and knees shouldn't move (though knee movement is fine too). It is so that your back stays safe and your hamstrings get a good stretch.
2. Knees Out
If your knees are locked, you won't be able to keep your back straight the whole time. Also, you probably don't have enough flexibility in your hamstrings and glutes to do the RDL properly with straight legs. So it's fine for this exercise to have a slight bend.
3. Looking Down Or Up
As you lower the weight toward the floor, you should look down to protect your neck. Some people try to look forward to keeping their spines straight, but this may put too much strain on their necks. Your neck, part of your spine, should be in the same place as the rest of your back.
Conclusion
The Romanian deadlift with dumbbells is a great exercise that you should try to do as often as you can. It is especially good for building strength and mass in the back muscles. But don't forget to keep your back straight the whole time, and as you lower the weight, try to feel the tension in your hamstrings. These two points are important for ensuring that the RDL form is done safely and effectively. We are glad you read this article, and we hope it helped.