RDL. Where to bring the bar to?

[kauseemcee]

Been bringing the bar down until it hits my knees. Lower?

[WolfRose7]

At the point of maximal hamstring stretch before they pull you into flexion

[SuffolkPunch]

At the point of maximal hamstring stretch before they pull you into flexion

^ That

If you hold your spine in a fixed position, you should be able to feel the point at which your hamstrings reach the end of their ROM - and you can only go deeper by losing tightness in your lower back. I remember being suprised at how high I was (just below knees in my case).

When people say that touching your toes is a sign of flexibility - that is misleading, if anything it demonstrates the ROM of your back not your hammies.

[safcpaul]

Just to add when I first started rdls I could go to about knee level. My rom now allows me to go to about mid shin level despite lifting substantially more weight

[kauseemcee]

Ok thanks guys, good advice

[faithbrah]

a little bit below the knee for me

[jk202]

Forget about the bar and just focus on hips. When hips stop hinging ,that's your end range, anything else is coming from your spine

[BeginnerGainz]

At the point of maximal hamstring stretch before they pull you into flexion

^ this

[perpendicularis]

Yeah ham stretch/activation is key.

Problem with specific location of bar is variations in bone length proportions & flexibility - it will vary for different people. Not even mentioning spine rounding.....

[Garage Rat]

Good answers ^^^^.
Yes maintain the hinge with a straight/neutral spine and go to your max stretch point as long as everything is good meaning your feeling in the targeted area glutes/hams with as little as possible stress to other areas like low back.
If you maintain the hinge the low back takes less stress.
Have a slight bend in your knees also to take some stress off them.
Good luck.

[NomadNA]

Above or below the knee depends on your flexibility (upper back, lower back, and hamstrings).

The following queue might be excessive for some powerlifter preference: My current olympic trainer is reprogramming us to prioritize upper back form and flexibility limits before lower back.

Specifically for RDLs he wants the scapula fully pinched/retracted thru the entire motion. As you lower the bar you may hit a point where its to hard to go lower without unpinching your scapula. This trainer wants us to stop at that point. For my classmates and I the end point is somewhere just below the knee if you're flexible or above the knee if you're not. As a good learning exercise, try doing an empty bar RDL while someone lightly pinches your scapula. That way you'll feel when they move outward, it may surprise you.

The exaggerated form may not be necessary for everyone. Its significantly helping me correct my shoulder path for alot of exercises beyond RDLs, but RDLs are a great one to practice mindfulness.

My hip hinge work rotates RDLs, Hang cleans/snatches, Hip thrust, leg curls. I think the hip thrust and leg curls hit them best out of that group.

[ckkon]

right here they say that it is best to look for its flexibility. The possibility of injury is much more important than the result

[GrouchyUSMC]

[Markype]

At the point of maximal hamstring stretch before they pull you into flexion

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