Romanian Deadlifts: How Many Sets and Reps, and How to Progress

A concrete plan for the Romanian deadlift: how many sets and reps per week, what weight to start with, and how to add load without stalling out.

The Romanian deadlift (RDL) is the lift where you lower the bar down your legs from a standing position, knees slightly bent, hips travelling back. The point is not to move the heaviest possible weight off the floor, but to load the hamstrings and glutes in a stretched position. That changes how you should pick sets, reps and progression compared to a conventional deadlift.

Why the rep range is different here

On a conventional deadlift you might work in the 1 to 5 rep range because you are testing whole-body strength. That logic falls apart on RDLs: with a very heavy bar your lower back rounds and your hips stop moving before the hamstrings get any meaningful stimulus. The useful range is 6 to 12 reps, and most people progress best between 8 and 10. Sets of 15 or more work as accessory volume, but the load usually drops so low that you lose the tension at the bottom of the movement.

How many sets per week

Weekly set count depends on training age and on how much other hamstring work you already do (leg curls, hip thrusts, good mornings).

First 6 months of training: 3 to 4 sets per week, all in one session.
6 to 24 months: 6 to 9 sets per week, split across 2 sessions (for example 4 + 4).
More than 2 years: 9 to 14 sets per week across 2 to 3 sessions.

Respect the spacing. Hamstring soreness after RDLs often lasts 48 to 72 hours, so leave at least 72 hours between RDL sessions until you adapt, then 48.

What weight to start with

If you already deadlift, take 40 to 50% of your one-rep max and do 3 sets of 8. If your max is 120 kg, that is 50 to 60 kg. If you do not deadlift, start with an empty Olympic bar (20 kg) or two 8 to 10 kg dumbbells for 2 sets of 10, and pay attention to where you feel the stretch. If you feel it in your lower back instead of your hamstrings, the problem is the movement, not the load.

Tempo, rest and session layout

Lowering: 3 seconds, controlled, down to the point where you feel a stretch and your back still holds a flat line (for most people that is mid-shin).
Bottom position: 1 second pause, no bouncing.
Lifting: 1 second, squeeze the glutes at the top without leaning back.
Rest: 2 to 3 minutes between sets. Under 90 seconds and your last set drops by 2 to 3 reps.
Warm-up: 2 sets of 8 at 50% and 70% of your working weight.
Effort: leave 2 to 3 reps in reserve on early sets, 1 on the last.

How to progress: double progression

The simplest system that keeps working for months is double progression: add reps first, weight second. Set a range of 8 to 12 and follow this:

Pick a weight where your first set gives you 8 clean reps with 2 in reserve.
Each session, try to add 1 rep to every set.
When all three sets hit 12 reps with solid technique, add 2.5 to 5 kg.
At the new weight you will drop back to 8 or 9 reps. That is expected, and the cycle restarts.

A realistic pace for someone with 6 to 24 months of training is one weight jump every 2 to 4 weeks, roughly 20 to 30 kg added over a year. Add faster than that and what usually grows is the shortening of your range of motion, not your strength.

If your reps and weights change from session to session with no rule behind them, that is not progression, that is improvisation. Write every set down in your phone or a notebook.

When progress stalls

If you go two weeks without adding a rep or a kilogram, check things in this order. Sleep first (under 6 hours is a common culprit), then protein: aim for about 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight per day, which is 112 to 154 grams for a 70 kg lifter. If both are fine, cut the weight by 10%, go back to 8 reps and rebuild over 3 to 4 weeks. Schedule a deload every 6 to 8 weeks anyway: one week at half the sets and 10 to 15% less weight.

Common mistakes

Chasing the floor. Your range ends where your spine stops being flat, which for some people is above the knee.
Bending the knees on the way down. The knees stay at a fixed soft angle; the hips do the work.
Adding weight too fast, so a set of 10 turns into 6 half reps.
Bouncing the bar off the floor between reps. The bar should not touch down until the set ends.
Grip failing before the legs do. Fix that with straps or a mixed grip, not by lowering the weight.

When to see a doctor

Muscle soreness 24 to 48 hours after training is expected. Get checked if you have:

sharp lower back pain lasting more than 3 to 4 days or getting worse at night;
tingling, burning or weakness running down the leg into the foot;
sudden pain with a popping sensation in the hamstring or near the sit bone;
dark urine and heavy muscle swelling after an unusually hard first session;
a known disc herniation, scoliosis or previous spinal surgery, before you start RDLs at all.

The short version

Work in the 6 to 12 rep range, usually 8 to 10; leave 1 to 3 rep sets for other lifts.
Weekly volume: 3 to 4 sets for beginners, 6 to 9 intermediate, 9 to 14 advanced, with 48 to 72 hours between sessions.
Start at 40 to 50% of your deadlift max, or with an empty 20 kg bar.
Use double progression: build from 8 to 12 reps, then add 2.5 to 5 kg.
Fix stalls with sleep, protein (1.6 to 2.2 g/kg) and a 10% weight cut, not more sets.