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The pause dumbbell RDL will help you to build lower body muscle—and you'll get stronger, too.

Most of weight room warriors love pulling heavy weight.

We deadlift for better athletic performance, or creating a wide, stronger back, or even to set a new 1RM. As we strive to keep moving more and more weight, form oftentimes becomes compromised in the process. If you've spent any time working for big pulls, you’ve been there.

One deadlift danger that many of us are guilty of is elevating our hips way too fast, too soon during the pull. This breakdown of technique, over time, can lead to unnecessary lower-back strain, which can lead to more serious injuries.

One way to fix this, according to Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., is this effective variation, the pause Romanian deadlift, which can help get you back into better deadlift form.

Your standard dumbbell Romanian deadlift usually goes like this: Hold a pair of dumbbells in front of your thighs, push your butt back, and lower the weights down. When the dumbbells fall below your knees, you’ll thrust your hips forward and return to the starting position.

With the pause RDL, you’re going to pause at the bottom of the movement when the dumbbells are below your knees—at this point you should be able to feel your glutes and hamstrings starting to fire up. As you begin your ascension, you’re going to pause again, this time when the dumbbells reach your knees. While you’re here, Samuel says you should be aware of your body; your hips are lower than your shoulders while feeling plenty of tension in your hamstrings and glutes. After this pause, stand back up. That’s one rep.

For the pause Romanian deadlift, a good starting point would be incorporating three to four sets for about eight to 10 reps. After a few sessions of getting used to this exercise, you’ll discover its effectiveness at establishing better deadlift technique. And, of course, your hamstrings and glutes will love (and hate) this move as well.