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Romanian Deadlift strength standards

What is a good Romanian Deadlift?

The Intermediate Romanian Deadlift standard is about 274 lb (1.52x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 146 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 360 lb for men and 199 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

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Romanian Deadlift Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 62 104 160 227 303
120 73 119 178 249 328
130 85 133 195 269 351
140 96 147 212 289 373
150 107 160 228 308 395
160 118 173 244 326 415
170 128 186 259 343 435
180 139 199 274 360 454
190 149 211 288 377 472
200 159 223 302 393 490
210 169 235 315 408 507
220 178 246 329 423 524
230 188 257 341 438 540
240 197 268 354 452 556
250 207 279 366 466 572
260 216 289 378 479 586
270 224 300 390 492 601
280 233 310 401 505 615
290 242 319 413 518 629
300 250 329 424 530 643
310 258 339 434 542 656

The Romanian Deadlift standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Romanian Deadlift Standards by Age

How the Romanian Deadlift standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 103 157 226 307 396
20 118 180 259 352 454
25 121 185 266 361 466
30 121 185 266 361 466
35 121 185 266 361 466
40 121 185 266 361 466
45 115 175 252 342 442
50 108 165 236 321 414
55 100 152 219 297 383
60 91 139 200 271 350
65 82 126 180 245 316
70 74 113 162 220 284
75 66 101 145 197 254
80 59 90 129 176 227
85 53 81 116 158 203
90 48 73 105 142 183

The Romanian Deadlift standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Romanian Deadlift Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 274 lbs (1.52x bodyweight) on the Romanian Deadlift is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Romanian Deadlift Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are developing the hip-hinge pattern for the Romanian Deadlift, learning to load your hamstrings and glutes while keeping a neutral spine under tension.

Novice

You can perform the Romanian Deadlift with a consistent hinge pattern and controlled eccentric. You are building posterior chain strength and grip endurance through progressive loading.

Intermediate

Your Romanian Deadlift leverages a strong hip drive and solid lockout. You program variations strategically, use RPE to manage intensity, and have built serious hamstring and glute development.

Advanced

You have optimized your Romanian Deadlift setup, grip strategy, and bracing sequence for maximal output. You train with periodized blocks and manage recovery to handle high-intensity pulling sessions.

Elite

Your Romanian Deadlift is competition-caliber. You have dialed in every variable from stance width to breathing cadence and can execute near-maximal pulls with technical consistency.

How to Progress Your Romanian Deadlift

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Romanian Deadlift to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Romanian Deadlift 1-2x per week, drilling the hip-hinge pattern with moderate loads.
  • Focus on keeping a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.
  • Use linear progression: add 5-10 lbs per session while form remains solid.
  • Build grip endurance with holds at the top of each set.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a hinge variation (deficit, pause, or tempo) to address weak positions.
  • Program the Romanian Deadlift with RPE 7-8 working sets and occasional heavier singles.
  • Strengthen your grip separately if it becomes a limiting factor.
  • Begin tracking volume load to manage posterior chain fatigue.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks alternating between volume accumulation and intensity peaks.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for top sets, with calculated backoff sets at RPE 7.
  • Address posterior chain weak points with targeted Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, or glute-ham raises.
  • Manage weekly hinge volume (10-16 hard sets) to avoid CNS fatigue.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run peaking cycles with precise RPE targets for each session.
  • Optimize your setup: stance, grip, hip height, and bracing sequence.
  • Manage recovery carefully - heavy hinge work has high systemic fatigue.
  • Test your Romanian Deadlift in competition or mock-meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Romanian Deadlift

Romanian Deadlift demonstration
Primary Muscles Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
Equipment Barbell
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip in front of your thighs.
  2. Keep your knees slightly bent and hinge at the hips, pushing your butt back as you lower the barbell along the front of your legs.
  3. Lower the barbell until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, keeping your back flat and core engaged.
  4. Reverse the movement by driving your hips forward and standing up straight, bringing the barbell back to the starting position.
  5. Maintain control throughout the exercise and avoid rounding your back.

Tips

  • Keep the barbell close to your body to maintain balance and reduce strain on your lower back.
  • Engage your core to protect your spine and ensure proper form.
  • Avoid locking out your knees; keep them slightly bent throughout the movement.
  • Focus on the hip hinge rather than bending at the waist.

Read the complete Romanian Deadlift guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Romanian Deadlift Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Romanian Deadlift table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Romanian Deadlift itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Romanian Deadlift depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Romanian Deadlift after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Romanian Deadlift table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Compare Romanian Deadlift

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.