Deadlift, Romanian deadlift and stiff-legged deadlift exercises

Deadlifting can be performed in a wide variety of ways and there are three main forms of deadlifts - the conventional deadlift, Romanian deadlift (RDL), and stiff-legged deadlift (SLDL). Each one involves lifting a loaded barbell off the ground until you’re in a standing position before lowering it back down to the ground under control.

It’s important to understand the differences between each type of deadlift so you know which one you’re performing in your workouts. It’s also important so you can use the correct techniques and form for each one, and target the desired muscles for maximum gains.

Below, we’ve covered the key differences between the conventional deadlift, Romanian deadlift (RDL), and stiff-legged deadlift (SLDL).

Muscles targeted

The conventional deadlift targets all muscles in the lower body, including the anterior muscles (quads) and posterior muscles (hamstrings, glutes and calves). The RDL and SLDL, on the other hand, target the posterior chain more than the anterior chain.

Therefore, the former is better for a well-rounded lower body exercise and the latter is more suitable when you’re predominantly trying to target the glutes and hamstrings.

Hip and knee extension

The conventional deadlift requires a lot more hip and knee extension, as you’re lifting the barbell off the ground with every repetition. It requires you to have more mobility in these lower body joints to safely perform the movement with good form and technique.

The RDL and SLDL require less hip and knee extension, as you don’t lower the barbell all the way to the ground with every rep. Instead, you lower it to knee or shin level to stretch the glutes and hamstrings. The SLDL has even less knee extension than the RDL, maintaining more tension on the hamstrings throughout the entire set.