Hip Hinge

Romanian Deadlift

A practical movement guide for every Mission SOP that uses this exercise. Sets, reps, load, tempo, and purpose remain specific to each mission and phase.

Movement guide available

Anatomy map

Muscles involved

Primary Supporting
Option 2 custom anatomy illustration for Romanian Deadlift, with primary and supporting muscles highlighted
PrimaryHamstrings
SupportingGluteal musclesSpinal erectors

ShaOS custom anatomy illustration. Visual reference only; movement coaching and muscle classifications remain defined by the Exercise Library.

Description

A controlled hip hinge that strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal stabilizers while teaching efficient posterior-chain loading.

Setup & Execution

  1. Stand with the bar at the thighs, feet about hip width, knees softly bent, and lats engaged.
  2. Push the hips back while keeping the bar close to the legs and the spine long.
  3. Lower until a strong hamstring stretch is reached without the pelvis tucking or the back rounding.
  4. Drive the hips forward to stand tall, finishing with glutes rather than leaning backward.

Coaching Cues

  • Close the car door with your hips.
  • Keep the bar over midfoot.
  • Feel the hamstrings load.

Common Mistakes

  • Turning the hinge into a squat.
  • Letting the bar drift away from the legs.
  • Chasing floor depth by rounding the back.

Movement media

See the movement

Reviewed short loop
Published media
Short silent loop · 6.6 seconds
Reviewed
Jul 16, 2026
Video source
Open source record
30–60 second tutorialplanned
Setup angleplanned
Side angleplanned
Key cue overlayplanned
Captionsplanned
Transcriptplanned

Accessible movement summary

Stand with the bar at the thighs, feet about hip width, knees softly bent, and lats engaged. Push the hips back while keeping the bar close to the legs and the spine long. Lower until a strong hamstring stretch is reached without the pelvis tucking or the back rounding. Drive the hips forward to stand tall, finishing with glutes rather than leaning backward.

Key cue: Close the car door with your hips.

The production indicators above are roadmap states, not claims that multi-angle footage, overlays, captions, or a narrated transcript are already available.

Adapt the movement

Regressions & alternatives

Preserve the movement pattern while matching current capacity, available equipment, and the mission environment.

Regression

Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Progression

Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Home gym

Dumbbell or resistance-band Romanian deadlift

Commercial gym

Barbell Romanian deadlift from blocks

Used in

Linked Mission SOPs

Lower Strength & CarriesFoundation