How Much Weight Should You Do for Deadlift vs Romanian Deadlift?

When it comes to deciding how much weight to use for deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), it's important to understand the differences between these two exercises and how they target your muscles differently. Both are effective for building strength and muscle, but they require different approaches to loading. Here's a detailed guide on how to determine the appropriate weight for each exercise.

Understanding the Exercises

Conventional Deadlift

• Target Muscles: Primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, but also engages the quads, traps, and forearms.
• Execution: Involves lifting the barbell from the ground to a standing position, with a focus on a full range of motion from a squat-like position.
• Movement: It's a pull from the floor, utilizing significant hip and knee extension.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

• Target Muscles: Focuses more on the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
• Execution: Starts from a standing position, lowering the barbell by pushing the hips back while keeping the knees slightly bent. The range of motion stops at mid-shin or just below the knees.
• Movement: Emphasizes hip hinging with minimal knee bend, which isolates the hamstrings more.

Determining the Right Weight

Factors to Consider

1. Experience Level: Beginners should start with lighter weights to master the form.
2. Form and Technique: Proper form is crucial to prevent injuries and maximize effectiveness.
3. Strength and Goals: Your current strength levels and training goals will influence how much weight you should use.

Guidelines for Weight Selection

Conventional Deadlift

• Beginner: Start with a weight that you can comfortably lift for 8-12 repetitions, focusing on form. This might be as low as just the barbell (45 lbs/20 kg) or slightly heavier with added plates.
• Intermediate: Once you have mastered the form, aim for 1.5 to 2 times your body weight for sets of 5-8 reps.
• Advanced: Experienced lifters might deadlift 2.5 to 3 times their body weight for lower reps (1-5 reps).

Romanian Deadlift

• Beginner: Start with a lighter weight than your conventional deadlift, focusing on form and the hip hinge movement. The barbell itself or with light plates (total weight around 45-65 lbs/20-30 kg) is a good starting point.
• Intermediate: As you become more comfortable, aim for 50-70% of your conventional deadlift weight. For example, if you deadlift 200 lbs (90 kg), use 100-140 lbs (45-65 kg) for RDLs.
• Advanced: Advanced lifters might use up to 70-85% of their conventional deadlift weight, depending on their strength and focus on form. For a 300 lbs (135 kg) deadlift, this would be 210-255 lbs (95-115 kg).

Practical Tips

Progression

• Gradually increase the weight as your strength improves and your form remains solid.
• Incorporate progressive overload by adding small increments of weight regularly.

Form and Technique

• Conventional Deadlift: Focus on maintaining a neutral spine, engaging your core, and using your legs to drive the movement.
• Romanian Deadlift: Emphasize the hip hinge, keeping your back straight and shoulders pulled back, with a slight bend in the knees.

Reps and Sets

• For strength: 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with heavier weights.
• For hypertrophy (muscle growth): 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with moderate weights.
• For endurance: 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps with lighter weights.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down

• Always perform a thorough warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for lifting.
• Include stretching and mobility exercises in your cool-down to aid recovery.

Conclusion

Determining the appropriate weight for deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts requires understanding your own strength levels, experience, and goals. Generally, you will lift more weight in the conventional deadlift compared to the Romanian deadlift due to the different mechanics and muscle engagement of each exercise. Start with lighter weights to master the form and progressively increase the load as you become stronger and more confident in your technique. By following these guidelines, you can safely and effectively incorporate both exercises into your strength training routine.