The Romanian deadlift and the barbell bent-over row are both excellent exercises that target the posterior chain – the muscles that run up the back of your body. The row is one of the best back exercises you can do, while the deadlift works wonders on your lower-body strength, targeting the glutes and hamstrings in particular.
Combining the two exercises thus creates a monster of a move that enlists muscles throughout the body. Along with an explanation of how to do the move, you’ll also find a workout that involves it below. Get stuck in.
How To Do The Romanian Deadlift To Row
Stand holding a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs in an overhand grip. Engage your core and keep your back straight as you hinge at the hips to lean forwards, lowering the bar to your shins. Row the bar up to your chest, leading with your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades together, then lower it again slowly. Drive your hips forwards to come back up to standing.
Use This Exercise In A Workout
This quick workout is made up of four exercises that combine upper- and lower-body moves, which will challenge you in new ways and save you time in the gym. Treat it as a circuit, splitting a minute into work and rest periods for each exercise and repeating for as many rounds as desired.
1 Lunge to press
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand by your shoulders. Take a big step forwards on one leg and lower until both knees are bent at 90°. Stay in the lunge position while you press the weights overhead, then bring them back down to your shoulders and push through your front heel to return to standing. Alternate legs with each rep.
2 Squat to curl to press
This exercise combines three different movements. Stand holding dumbbells by your sides. Bend your knees and push your bum back to drop into a squat, then push back up to standing and curl the weights up to your shoulders. From there, press the dumbbells overhead, then reverse the press and curl to return the dumbbells to your sides.
3 Romanian deadlift to row
As above.
4 Gym ball jackknife to press-up
Set up in a plank position with your shins resting on a gym ball. Roll the ball forwards by bringing your knees in to your chest, keeping your upper body as still as possible – don’t arch your back. Then roll the ball back out and perform a press-up with your legs on the ball, lowering your chest close to the floor before pressing back up.
