Science tells us that this is a myth. Muscle size requires more than just the compound lifts. ... Researchers investigated the muscle activity of the hamstrings during the leg curl, good morning, glute-ham raise, and Romanian deadlift (RDL) and found that hamstring activity was maximized in the RDL and glute-ham raise.

Do Romanian deadlifts work hamstrings?

The Romanian deadlift targets your hamstrings more than standard deadlifts. You'll also work your glutes and forearm flexors.

Are RDLs enough?

The RDL is not a competitive exercise in strength sports, and it's not a super popular exercise for monitoring training. RDLs are technical enough to merit coaching but not useful for demonstrating fatigue, unlike countermovement jumps and similar exercises.