The RDL is a fantastic exercise for the glutes and hamstrings that does not require any fancy equipment, so it can be done in virtually any setting.  It is sometimes referred to as a straight-leg deadlift or stiff-leg deadlift. 

The only real downside to the RDL is that it takes many athletes a while to really get the technique, so a considerable amount of teaching is involved for some athletes.  It’s not impossible to teach, but some people simply do not grasp the concept and cannot maintain proper posture during the lift.  Once technique is good, however, it can become a staple exercise for the hamstrings.

Begin by standing upright, holding the bar with a shoulder-width grip.  The exercise is typically done with the hands pronated (facing the body), but some people like to use an alternating grip (one hand pronated, one hand supinated). 

Posture and pelvic girdle control is the key to performing the RDL, so begin by arching the back and get a slight bend in the knees.  It sometimes helps to tell the athlete to stick the chest and butt out. 

All of the movement should come from the hip, not the spine, and this is where many athletes have trouble.  Many people have a difficult time tilting the pelvis forward and keeping the back arched.  Instead, they end up rounding the back and put a lot of pressure on the lower back instead of the glutes and hamstrings. 

Lower the upper body forward as far as possible while maintaining a flat back.  Stop before the back rounds forward.  Most people will get the bar slightly below the knees before they should stop and return to the top position.  The hips will move backward slightly to maintain balance, and the knees will also bend slightly.  Excessive knee bent is a mistake, as this puts more pressure on the quads and takes it away from the hamstrings.

One cue that works for some athletes is to have them pretend their pants are full of water at the beginning of the exercise.  Have them pretend to pour the water out the front of their pants to begin the movement.  This helps create the anterior pelvic tilt necessary in the RDL.  It is also helpful to have tell them to stick their butt and chest out as suggested above. 

Some athletes will pick this up without a problem.  Others will struggle for a while, so you may need to work on the posture and technique using several different cues.  Begin with a light weight, but you may find that it’s almost easier to learn proper technique with a little bit of weight in the hands. 

In my opinion, BFS has butchered the technique of the RDL by telling athletes to round the back forward and lower the bar as far as possible in an effort to stretch the hamstrings.  The RDL is not intended to be a flexibility exercise, and there are better, safer ways to stretch. 

The RDL can be done with a barbell, dumbbells, or on the Hammer Ground Based Deadlift.