What's with my weirdly long ROM on RDLs?

[jwilson625]

I started doing RDLs this week and @throwinshapes pointed out that I can hold extension through a weirdly long ROM on this exercise, to the point where I sometimes hit the floor during my sets. Video:

270x7

Am I doing something wrong here or this this just a combo of segment lengths + flexibility? Should I be actively cutting these off higher, or maybe doing them from a deficit? Right now it's effectively a SLDL that starts at the top; would I be better off just doing normal SLDLs?

[michael]

Well you aren't keeping a hollow back and you knees are a bit too soft. If you straighten your legs some and hold the arch in your lower back your ROM will shorten. The point of the RDL is to set the arch in your back and hold it isometrically during the lift. Your back is just flat.

[mbasic]

Maybe you have long arms. Grab it wider, if you don't want to bounce off the floor.

or

Put on more weight and don't touch the floor (shorten ROM).

or

keep weight the same, and pause just before you hit the floor for a second or two (floating) and then come up.


I like RDL's. But I don't think they transfer to conventional comp PL deadlift too much done this way.
I have no ancedata to back this up (because I don't care about comp.PL 1RMs) but my thinking would be
to make the ROM more like your deadlift. What you are doing now might be getting a little
too ROM-y to transfer well. Either increase weight and decrease the ROM just a tad.

You are already getting a novel stimulus from the RDL being a true eccentric lift, with a Stretch-reflex.
(most deads are dropped, or lowered fairly fast....almost zero eccentric unless you have a tempo DL in your rotation).

...and people typically do RDLs with lighter weights and higer reps.
So maybe make some the other aspects of the lift match the comp lift is my thinking....and not let it be SOOO different.
More weight, less ROM.

If just for hypertrophy, then do whatever floats your boat.

[jwilson625]

I'm playing with the BBM General Intermediate Template which is seemingly using them for hypertrophy work (sets of 7 @6-8), so I don't think there is much expected carryover to comp DL.

I thought the back/knees looked fine but perhaps I'm not being picky enough. Or perhaps it's all made up and nothing matters, and I'm just getting swole hamstrings.

[iamsmu]

There seems to be little agreement about what distinguishes RDLs from SLDLs. I can't bother to read another article trying to distinguish between the two.

The Glute guy seems to like them with a shorter ROM. He has all sorts of tips for getting the ass involved. I assume that you are doing RDLS to get a huge round ass. If so, you might find something useful here:

https://bretcontreras.com/whats-the-dif ... -deadlift/

My RDLs look the same as yours. You probably maintain a flatter upper back than me. I'll work on it. . . . I feel these in my hamstrings, ass cheeks, and lower back. So I'm happy. . . . Hell, you might want to increase the ROM by standing on a plate or two. I've considered it. It might limit the amount of weight you can use though.

[throwinshapes]

I like RDL's. But I don't think they transfer to conventional comp PL deadlift too much done this way.
I have no ancedata to back this up (because I don't care about comp.PL 1RMs) but my thinking would be
to make the ROM more like your deadlift. What you are doing now might be getting a little
too ROM-y to transfer well. Either increase weight and decrease the ROM just a tad.

Isn't it kinda the point of variations to gain strength at different joint angles/ROM's to the comp lift?

[Ragholmes]

There seems to be little agreement about what distinguishes RDLs from SLDLs.....The Glute guy ..... If so, you might find something useful here:

https://bretcontreras.com/whats-the-dif ... -deadlift/

the bottom position for the stiff legged deadlift in that link looks exactly the same to me as a conventional deadlift. Or at least "my" conventional deadlift. Is there something I'm not seeing? Have I been deadlifting wrong? I thought these were variations, the only variation I see is that they're starting at the top?

[damufunman]

There seems to be little agreement about what distinguishes RDLs from SLDLs. I can't bother to read another article trying to distinguish between the two.

The Glute guy seems to like them with a shorter ROM. He has all sorts of tips for getting the ass involved. I assume that you are doing RDLS to get a huge round ass. If so, you might find something useful here:

https://bretcontreras.com/whats-the-dif ... -deadlift/

My RDLs look the same as yours. You probably maintain a flatter upper back than me. I'll work on it. . . . I feel these in my hamstrings, ass cheeks, and lower back. So I'm happy. . . . Hell, you might want to increase the ROM by standing on a plate or two. I've considered it. It might limit the amount of weight you can use though.

My previous understanding is the RDLs are top-down and floating, S(tiff)LDLs are from the floor.
BUT Catalyst Athletics says RDLs have bent knees the whole way down and up, Stiff Leg DLs are top-down but with legs locking out at the top and unlocking on the way down, both with locked lower back and hinging at the hips. Straight Leg DLs are with lower back flexion and extension, are done top-down and are shown standing on a block for huge ROM. https://www.catalystathletics.com/exerc ... -Deadlift/

[mbasic]

I like RDL's. But I don't think they transfer to conventional comp PL deadlift too much done this way.
I have no ancedata to back this up (because I don't care about comp.PL 1RMs) but my thinking would be
to make the ROM more like your deadlift. What you are doing now might be getting a little
too ROM-y to transfer well. Either increase weight and decrease the ROM just a tad.

Isn't it kinda the point of variations to gain strength at different joint angles/ROM's to the comp lift?

Yes.

But are your ever in that torso-parallel-with-ground position with YOUR comp deadlift?....like the bottom of a deep ROM RDL? And add to that, you are getting a nice stretch reflex out of the bottom assisting you with getting out of that "hole" there.

I'm kinda thinking that whole thing "that once the variant lift gets too far away from the parent lift" the carryover is less useful.....this could be in terms of load and/or ROM or kinematics.

I would do more weight, for less reps, at a lesser ROM, for PL comp.lift context.

I think you lose just a wee tad of lumbar extension at the bottom from going a bit too deep also.

If just a simple hypertrophy block exercise or pivot block thing....they're fine any way you do them.

[cgeorg]

Does it matter if RDLs don't drive up your conventional DL? What's wrong with gaining strength at gently putting down or lifting a heavy thing whose shape makes it so you can't just lower/raise it with your legs?

[jwilson625]

Does it matter if RDLs don't drive up your conventional DL? What's wrong with gaining strength at gently putting down or lifting a heavy thing whose shape makes it so you can't just lower/raise it with your legs?

Something something most muscle mass Three Criteria thusly etc.

- Not a SSC

[Stenson]

There seems to be little agreement about what distinguishes RDLs from SLDLs.....The Glute guy ..... If so, you might find something useful here:

https://bretcontreras.com/whats-the-dif ... -deadlift/

the bottom position for the stiff legged deadlift in that link looks exactly the same to me as a conventional deadlift. Or at least "my" conventional deadlift. Is there something I'm not seeing? Have I been deadlifting wrong? I thought these were variations, the only variation I see is that they're starting at the top?

Look at how vertical his shins are and how high his hips are. His conventional setup would result in the shins being canted more forward and hips lower. Your proportions may cause your setup to look different than his.

I really like how Thrall explains the difference between the SLDL and RDL:

[Marenghi]

As there is no RDL or SLDL competition - there is no definition of those lifts a majority adheres to.

For me, arbitrary and tiny differences of knee angles dont make much sense to differentiate between them. Nor does ROM, because that can easily be changed with elevated weights or stance. These are factors everyone can fool around with for slightly different muscle involvements.

So the most useful definition appears to be RDL: start from top down-up, SDL: start from ground up-down. As oer Alan Thrall in Stenson´s vid above.

And therefore, there isnt any "wrong" or generally "better" execution barring neglecting a safe back etc.