RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift — What Are The Differences?

You want to pull more weight with your lower body, but you don’t know which type of deadlift to do. Both the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift are ways to do the deadlift that build muscle. Either lift can help you get stronger and work on different parts of your deadlift that are giving you trouble.

Both the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift can help you break through a lifting plateau. However, they are two different lifts. The Romanian Deadlift starts with the person standing. The bar does not touch the floor during the hinge motion. The stiff-leg deadlift starts on the floor and is done just like a regular deadlift, except that your legs stay stiff the whole time. In between reps, the tool does not touch the floor, as it does in the Romanian deadlift.

Both moves work to strengthen the lower back, teach and reinforce a strong hip hinge position, and add more weight to the glutes and hamstrings. In this article, you’ll learn the clear but subtle differences between the Romanian deadlift also known as the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift sometimes written as stiff-legged. You’ll also learn when to use the RDL and when to use the stiff-leg version, as well as what the benefits of each are and how to do both.

Table of Contents

• RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift: What Are The Differences?
• RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift: What Are The Similarities?
• RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift: Method
• How to Perform The Romanian Deadlift
• The Advantages of the RDL
• RDL Variations
• How to Perform The Stiff-Leg Deadlift
• The Advantages of the Stiff-Leg Deadlift
• Stiff-Leg Deadlift Variations
• When To Use RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift
• For Power
• Increase Muscle
• For Sporting Performance
• For Novices
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Which is better RDL or SLDL?
• Do stiff-leg deadlifts build glutes?
• Are RDLs as good as deadlifts?
• How much weight should I use for a stiff-legged deadlift?
• Is RDLS good for the lower back?

RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift: What Are The Differences?

The RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift are both deadlifts, but there are some big differences between the two. One of the main differences is whether or not the weight plates touch the platform between reps, which leads to a number of other differences.

Motion Range

The range of motion is the main difference between RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift. The bar should stop around shin level during Romanian deadlifts; the plates shouldn’t touch the ground. Stiff-leg deadlifts cease between reps. RDLs have a shorter range of motion than SLDs.

It’s tempting to presume that the Romanian deadlift is inferior because it has a narrower range of motion. The Romanian deadlift provides more time under tension since there is no dead halt between reps. RDLs need constant bar control without assistance from the ground.

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Both deadlift versions should be 50–70% of your back squat max. Unless you have particularly long arms or flexible hips and hamstrings, the Romanian deadlift may be easier for you to use. The RDL keeps your knees freed and slightly to moderately flexed, exactly like a traditional deadlift. This is easier on your hamstrings, allowing you to pull more weight than rigid legs.

Competition Lifts in Particular

For weightlifters and competitive pullers (snatches, cleans, and deadlifts), knee flexion is advantageous during the first ground pull. Lifters need tension and appropriate timing to scoop themselves under the barbell during the snatch or clean. This happens as you approach the Olympic lift’s drive/power phase and/or lockout of the pull.

The Romanian deadlift needs a bent-knee start, which helps with Olympic timing and tension. In the stiff-leg deadlift, the lifter starts fully stretched and only bends slightly as flexibility and hamstring stress increase. The stiff-leg deadlift is less specialized than Olympic lifts and deadlifts.

RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift

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RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift: What Are The Similarities?

The RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift share similarities despite having different ranges of motion and between-rep procedures. You can program these hip hinges similarly, and they’ll impart some of the same skills.

Training for Hip Hinge

Both the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift use a hip hinge, regardless of the knee position. Both deadlift variations will help you develop a powerful hip hinge. Either of these lifts can help you practice your hinge and add lower body pulling volume.

Planning

Unless you are training for something very specific, neither of these lifts is likely to become your main way to deadlift. You’ll probably start planning both of these lifts as deadlifting accessories to be done on a day when you’re not doing a heavy deadlift pull.

If you’re training for hypertrophy, you’ll lift for six to 12 reps close to failure. Go lighter and higher reps to build endurance. Since neither of these exercises is likely to be your primary deadlift, you won’t need to train them maximally.

RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift

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RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift: Method

This is the main difference between the two types of hip hinge lifts. Even though the lifts have the same basic shape, your knee bend will be very different. So, the angles you lift from and the muscles that are worked by the lifts will change.

Knee Bend (Flexion)

Even though there isn’t much difference between the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift when it comes to bending the knee, the effects are still important. When doing the Romanian deadlift, the lifter makes sure that their knees are bent. If you’re used to snatching, cleaning, or deadlifting, this knee flexion is often at the same angle as the first and second pulls of the snatch, clean, or deadlift. This usually gives you a wider range of motion and makes you less dependent on having a strong lower back and flexible hamstrings.

In the stiff-leg deadlift, on the other hand, you start with your legs fully stretched out. At the point where your hamstrings and lower back are the tightest, your knees will only be slightly bent. This could make the stiff-leg deadlift a more intense exercise for the hamstrings and lower back, which can be programmed for hypertrophy or posture control.

Muscles Engaged/Cueing

The RDL lets you bend at the same angles as the standard deadlift. This gives the hips, glutes, and hamstrings as a whole more work to do.

Because the knees don’t bend as far, the stiff-leg deadlift puts more emphasis on lower back strength and the flexibility and strength of the hamstrings. This means that it could be a better way to isolate those muscle groups.

RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift

How to Perform The Romanian Deadlift

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Set up the same way you do for a regular deadlift. Come up to the bar with your feet about hip-width apart and the bar above the middle of your foot. Make your torso stiff and hinge at the hips, bending your knees gently. Grab the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your back straight.

With your core braced, keep your torso stiff, tighten your lats, and push through your feet. Pull the bar up with your hips and hamstrings as you drag it along your shins. When the bar goes past your knees, contract your glutes, upper back, and core to stand back up.

Instead of putting the bar back on the floor between reps, slowly lower it close to your body. When the bar is at the height of your shins, stop the movement and stand back up. Rinse and do it again.

The Advantages of the RDL

• You can deadlift a fairly heavy amount of weight while focusing on your glutes, hips, and hamstrings.
• Focuses more on the parts of the deadlift that are important for sports, which helps powerlifters and weightlifters do better in competition.

RDL Variations

A barbell is not necessary to do RDL exercises. To similarly target your hamstrings for strength and muscle growth, employ a variety of different tools.

Trap Bar Romanian Deadlift

When performing Romanian deadlifts, using a trap bar can really help your accessory programming. To balance the bar’s center of mass, you’ll need to work carefully, which makes this move particularly difficult for your grip strength.

Your time under strain will also increase because you’ll have to move more slowly to keep the bar balanced, especially because you won’t be touching the ground for the entire set. Increased hamstring hypertrophy and core strength may result from this.

Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

For the single-leg Romanian deadlift, you can use a kettlebell or a dumbbell. You’ll hold the bell in one hand, plant the same foot, and bend at the hips. You’ll let the opposite leg drift back behind you as you hinge. This adds a challenge to your balance and works your hamstrings more. For these, move slowly and use light weights, especially until you get the hang of it.

How to Perform The Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Stiff-Leg Deadlift (SLDL)

Set up your body like you would for a regular deadlift or a Romanian deadlift. Set your feet about the width of your hips apart and put your shoelaces under the bar.

Keep your knees as straight as possible when you hinge at the hips. You don’t want your knees to be locked out, but the goal is to focus on your hamstring flexibility and a strong hip hinge to help you reach the bar.

You should hold the bar the same way you do for a regular deadlift or an RDL. Make sure to keep your torso as stiff as possible because your hinge will likely be much bigger than in a regular deadlift. Stand up by bracing your core, tightening your lats, and dragging the bar along your shins. To help you lock out the bar, use your glutes and low back.

Turn the move around and slowly lower the bar back down to the ground. Keep your legs straight the whole time and resist the urge to bend your knees more. Once the bar is back on the ground, tighten it up again and do it again.

The Advantages of the Stiff-Leg Deadlift

• This version can help your regular deadlift, especially if your low back gives out when you try to lock out.
• Deadlifts with stiff legs can help you get a good hip hinge and flexible hamstrings. You’ll have no choice but to lift from your hips while keeping your knees mostly straight.

Stiff-Leg Deadlift Variations

Although barbell stiff-leg deadlifts are frequently performed, they are not the only exercise that puts a lot of strain on the low back.

Trap Bar Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Doing a stiff-leg deadlift with a trap bar is a great way to improve your sense of where your body is in space. Since you’ll have to balance the trap bar the whole time to keep the bar’s path steady, your grip and core strength will go through the roof. Plus, since you’ll be using a trap bar, you’ll probably be able to lift a bit more weight than you could with a barbell.

Kettlebell Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Whether you use one kettlebell or two, this variation might make the kettlebell stiff-leg deadlift a little easier. If you use a kettlebell that is heavy enough, the shape of the bell might make it easier to touch the ground than a dumbbell.

This slightly shorter range of motion will keep the stiff-leg lift the same but make it easier for people with less flexible hamstrings to do.

When To Use RDL vs Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Even though both the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift are good ways to do the deadlift, you should use them at different times and in different ways in your program. During a training cycle, you may have to figure out which lift is best for you based on your level of experience and your goals.

For Power

Because you can usually move more weight with the Romanian deadlift, this variation could be better for you if you’re trying to get as strong as possible. But that doesn’t mean that the stiff-leg deadlift doesn’t belong in a strength-training program.

Since the stiff-leg version puts more stress on your lower back, think about whether your lower back is a weak point in your deadlift. If so, you may want to add the stiff-leg deadlift to help you get past that point and build the most power possible.

Increase Muscle

If you’re aiming to gain muscle in your lower body, the sort of deadlift accessory you employ depends on where you want more mass. If you want bigger hamstrings and glutes, add more RDLs.

Stiff-leg deadlifts also target the hamstrings, but with less weight, they may be less helpful for growth. Stiff-leg deadlifts may be better for building low-back muscle.

For Sporting Performance

Romanian deadlifts are identical to conventional deadlifts and snatches and cleans’ beginning pulls. For powerlifters and weightlifters, the RDL has a lot of sports-performance crossovers.

If you need flexible hamstrings for powerlifting or weightlifting, the stiff-leg deadlift may be for you. For strongman events, the stiff-leg deadlift will help build a stronger lower back.

For Novices

If you are a true novice in strength sports, you may still be learning how to do a conventional deadlift correctly. Novices should probably stick to Romanian deadlifts to work on their regular deadlift position and technique. On top of that, many novices don’t have the flexibility in their hamstrings or technical skill to do a successful stiff-leg deadlift.

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Conclusion

Both the RDL vs stiff-leg deadlift build hamstring, hip, glute, and lower back strength. The lifts need different knee flexion, and RDLs don’t contact the ground between reps. Each lift improves distinct elements of your deadlift and overall strength because of its different ranges of motion. This can help you refine your training and reach your lifting goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better RDL or SLDL?

Because the knees help during the RDL, it is a better and safer way to strengthen the back of the lower body, including the hamstrings and glutes. The bigger knee angle also helps improve timing when going from a concentric to an eccentric movement.

Do stiff-leg deadlifts build glutes?

The stiff-legged deadlift works your glutes and hamstrings more because you keep your legs still during the movement. People on a hypertrophy program should do it because it works on smaller muscle groups that are usually worked on in other compound movements.

Are RDLs as good as deadlifts?

Even though the RDL and the deadlift work different muscles, they both still work your back and back muscles. Even though the deadlift works your back and glutes more, the RDL still uses and activates your erectors and butt.

How much weight should I use for a stiff-legged deadlift?

Most people can lift between 75% and 85% of their regular deadlift weight with the stiff-leg deadlift, but this can vary a lot from person to person because of differences in body type and training history.

Is RDLS good for the lower back?

When done right, the RDL is almost the only exercise that can improve the strength of the low back, hamstrings, and glutes. This can help you improve your squat or deadlift, run faster, and reduce your risk of getting hurt.

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Originally published at https://stepbyfitness.com/ On 17 August 2022