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PVC Romanian Deadlift being performed with proper form
PVC Romanian Deadlift demonstration video — proper form for the full movement.

How to do a PVC Romanian Deadlift

Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology

About this exercise

Sets Logged
1,663
Popularity Rank
1140th
Difficulty
Beginner
Quads Strength
27 mSCORE 224th
Equipment Required
  • Photo of PVC Pipe
    PVC Pipe

Workouts with PVC Romanian Deadlift

    Target muscles worked

    Primary Muscles
    Quads
    Secondary Muscles
    Lower Back, Back, Hamstrings, Glutes

    Instructions for Proper Form

    PVC Romanian Deadlift is a variation of the standard Romanian Deadlift, primarily targeting the glutes and hamstrings. This exercise uses a PVC pipe instead of weights, making it an excellent option for beginners or those focusing on mastering form and technique. The lack of heavy resistance allows for improved mobility and balance, facilitating proper muscle activation and form improvement for more advanced variations.

    1. Grasp a PVC pipe with both hands.
    2. Position your hands so that they are wider than your shoulders and grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, palms facing you.
    3. Stand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Engage your core, straighten your back, and keep your chest up to maintain proper form.
    5. Hinge your hips back, bend your knees slightly, and fold your torso forward over the bar.
    6. Slowly lower the PVC pipe toward the floor, stopping as soon as you feel a light stretch in your hamstrings.
    7. Hold this position for a moment.
    8. Extend your legs, drive your hips forward, and raise the PVC pipe back to its starting position by engaging your glutes and hamstrings.

    Sets & Reps Calculator

    Average PVC Romanian Deadlift standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height

    Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.

    • beginner
      3
      sets
      7
      reps
      1 Set Max
      8
      reps
    • intermediate
      4
      sets
      7
      reps
      9
      reps
    • advanced
      4
      sets
      8
      reps
      10
      reps

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    Alternatives & Variations to PVC Romanian Deadlift

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    1. 1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

      Photo of Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift being performed
      97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 27 TIMES

      This exercise is a variation on Romanian Deadlifts. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. The use of dumbbells can help with some limitations in mobility, and is a great starting point for anyone working towards performing Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts with a barbell.

    2. 2. Romanian Deadlift

      Photo of Romanian Deadlift being performed
      98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 16 TIMES

      Romanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Deadlift. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes, and hamstrings. Unlike the standard Deadlift, this variation focuses mostly on driving your hips forward to raise the weight, and restricts movement in your knees. This is a great exercise for building strength, and can translate well to other exercises that utilize a hip hinge.

    3. 3. Air Squats

      Photo of Air Squats being performed
      92.1 mSCORESWAPPED 8 TIMES

      Air Squats are a bodyweight variation of Squats. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. Without any added resistance this is easily one of the most beginner friendly exercises out there. It’s a great way to start building strength, and working your way towards more advanced variations.

    4. 4. Dumbbell Squat To Shoulder Press

      Photo of Dumbbell Squat To Shoulder Press being performed
      98.1 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMES

      Dumbbell Squat to Shoulder Press is a combination of a Dumbbell Squat and a Shoulder Press. Both pieces of this exercise are compound movements that primarily target the quads and shoulders respectively. Combining these two movements is more than just the sum of its parts. It’s a very functional movement that has tons of practical applications, especially for sports. It’s also a great starting point for anyone looking to build the strength and conditioning needed for more explosive exercises like Thrusters, or eventually Olympic lifts.

    5. 5. Pause Squat

      Photo of Pause Squat being performed
      71.3 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMES

      Pause Squat is a variation of the standard Squat. Like other Squats, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. By pausing at the bottom of the movement, you increase the time under tension, which can help improve muscle endurance and strength. This also ensures you maintain proper form and engage your muscles more effectively throughout the squat.

    6. 6. Leg Extension

      Photo of Leg Extension being performed
      99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 4 TIMES

      Leg Extensions are an isolation exercise that target the quads. Due to a severe lack of isolation movements for the lower body, this is a great option for specifically targeting your quadriceps. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds some stability to the movement. This can help your focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. The downside to this exercise is that it places a lot of tension on your knee. Keep your weights light, and focus on pausing near the end of your range of motion.

    7. 7. Back Squat

      Photo of Back Squat being performed
      99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 3 TIMES

      Back Squat is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common lower body exercises. It’s a great compound exercise that can help build strength and muscle mass in your leg, especially your quadriceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking lower body strength in general.

    8. 8. Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat

      Photo of Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat being performed
      46.9 mSCORESWAPPED 3 TIMES

      Bodyweight Bulgarian Split Squat is a compound exercise that’s somewhere between a Squat and a Lunge. It primarily targets your quads. By placing your back leg on a flat bench, you add some instability to the movement, while also further emphasizing your quadriceps. This is a great exercise for developing strength, power, and stability in your lower body without any additional weight.

      • Intermediate
      • Quads
      • Flat Bench

    9. 9. Dumbbell Lunge

      Photo of Dumbbell Lunge being performed
      97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 3 TIMES

      Dumbbell Lunge is a variation on the more standard Lunge. Similar to other Lunge variations, Dumbbell Lunge is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quads. The exercise itself is the same as a standard lunge except for the added weight from holding dumbbells in each hand. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their lunges a bit more challenging without adding more complexity to the movement.

    10. 10. PVC Good Morning

      Photo of PVC Good Morning being performed
      2.2 mSCORESWAPPED 3 TIMES

      PVC Good Morning is a bodyweight variation on the more standard Good Morning. Like other Good Morning variations, this compound exercise primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The use of a PVC pipe helps to ensure proper form by giving you a lightweight guide. This variation is excellent for beginners learning the movement, and for warming up more advanced lifters without adding significant weight.