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Kettlebell exercises

Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift: Learn the Hip Hinge, Slowly

One bell in both hands. Knees soft, push your hips back for three seconds until the backs of your legs stretch, hold, then stand tall. The slow hip hinge, with one kettlebell.

2 min read

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

How to do it

  1. 1

    Pick it up once

    Bell on the floor between your feet. Push your hips back with a flat back, grip the handle with both hands and stand up tall. This is the only time the bell leaves the floor.

  2. 2

    Soft knees, and keep them there

    Bend your knees a little, then hold that bend for the whole set. The knees do not bend more on the way down.

  3. 3

    Hips back for three

    Push your hips back over three seconds, the bell close to your thighs. Your chest comes forward as your hips go back.

  4. 4

    Hold where it stretches

    Stop when the backs of your thighs are stretched and your back is still flat, usually a little below your knees. Hold for two seconds. The floor is not the target.

  5. 5

    Stand tall

    Drive your hips forward until you stand tall. Squeeze your glutes at the top and stop there; no leaning back.

  6. 6

    Put it down after the last rep

    After the last rep, push your hips back and bend your knees to set the bell on the floor between your feet.

  7. 7

    The test

    The bell stays close to your legs, your knees stay where you set them, and your lower back never rounds. When it does, the set is over.

Watch for

  • Squatting it. Your knees bend more as you go down, so your thighs take the load and the backs of your legs learn little.
  • Chasing the floor. Reaching lower than your hamstrings allow rounds your back. Stop where the stretch is.
  • Leaning back at the top. Standing tall is the finish; arching past it only loads your lower back.

Questions

Is the kettlebell Romanian deadlift good for beginners?

Yes. It teaches the hip hinge slowly, with no speed to manage, and the hinge is the same one the kettlebell swing uses.

Kettlebell Romanian deadlift or swing?

They build different things. The Romanian deadlift is the hinge done slowly under a heavy load; the swing is the same hinge done fast, for power. Learning the slow one first makes the fast one easier to get right.

How heavy should a kettlebell Romanian deadlift be?

Heavy enough that the slow way down is hard by the fifth rep, light enough that your back stays flat through every hold. It is often heavier than your swing bell.