Recruiting

RDL vs. NHE

Sponsor:

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Code:

NCT07716319

Conditions

Healthy Adult

Athlete

Exercise Training

Sport

Running

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 25

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

RDL

NHE

Sprint testing

Study Details

Brief summary:

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of an intensity-, volume-, and time under tension-matched eccentric hamstring exercise intervention with the Romanian deadlift (RDL) and the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) to a sprint-specific training program on hamstring muscle architecture, volume, sprint performance, strength, and power.

Participants will be assigned to complete one of the 3 hamstring interventions for 10 weeks.

Conditions

Healthy Adult

Athlete

Exercise Training

Sport

Running

Study ID

NCT07716319

Start date

Aug 28, 2026

Status verified date

Jul, 2026

Completion date

Sep, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Sep, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 25

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18-25 years
  • Actively participating in a club team
  • >6 months experience with resistance training
  • Minimum of 1 year experience at the high school level in organized team sport
  • No history of hamstring injury within the last 6 months
  • No history of major lower extremity surgery (including back)
  • No acute musculoskeletal injury to the lower extremity
  • Not currently pregnant

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unable to refrain from resistance training outside the study
  • Unable to make at least 80% of the training sessions
  • Hamstring injury in the last 6 months
  • History of major lower extremity surgery (including back)
  • Acute musculoskeletal injury to the lower extremity
  • Currently pregnant

Study Design

Enrollment

90 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Other

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Romanian dead lift (RDL) group

The training intervention groups will undergo the same program with the only difference being the interventional hamstring exercise. The program will consist of a 2-week familiarization period followed by 8 weeks of progressive training. The RDL arm will perform RDL.

experimental: Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) group

The training intervention groups will undergo the same program with the only difference being the interventional hamstring exercise. The program will consist of a 2-week familiarization period followed by 8 weeks of progressive training. The NHE arm will performed NHE

experimental: Sprint group

The training intervention groups will undergo the same program with the only difference being the interventional hamstring exercise. The program will consist of a 2-week familiarization period followed by 8 weeks of progressive training. The sprint training program will be performed twice per week with the first day of training focused on shorter distances to focus on acceleration and the second training day focused on maximal velocity. The relative efforts and distances for each training day will mimic a similar prescription to that of the resistance training program.

Interventions

RDL

The RDL will be performed with a 6 second eccentric component with the athlete returning to the start position with a maximal concentric hip extension.

NHE

The NHE will be performed with a 6 second eccentric component.

Sprint testing

The sprint training program will be performed twice per week with the first day of training focused on shorter distances to focus on acceleration and the second training day focused on maximal velocity. The relative efforts and distances for each training day will mimic a similar prescription to that of the resistance training program.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in fascicle length (FL) [ Time Frame: Baseline to Mid-intervention (6 weeks), Post-intervention (10 weeks), and Post 2 week de-training (12 weeks) ]
  • Change in muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) [ Time Frame: Baseline to Mid-intervention (6 weeks), Post-intervention (10 weeks), and Post 2 week de-training (12 weeks) ]
  • Change in muscle volume [ Time Frame: Baseline to Mid-intervention (6 weeks), Post-intervention (10 weeks), and Post 2 week de-training (12 weeks) ]
  • Change in pennation angle (PA) [ Time Frame: Baseline to Mid-intervention (6 weeks), Post-intervention (10 weeks), and Post 2 week de-training (12 weeks) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Scott K Crawford, PhD

608) 265-1308skcrawford2@wisc.edu

Locations

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Recruiting

Madison, Wisconsin, United States, 53705

Contacts

Scott K Crawford, PhD

608-265-1308skcrawford2@wisc.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Last update posted

Nov 10, 2026

Last verified

Jul, 2026

Keywords

  • strength
  • agility
  • sprint
  • hypertrophy
  • countermovement jump
  • fascicle length
  • hamstring
  • range of motion

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-11-11. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Wisconsin, Madison on 2026-11-10. Recruitment status is synced daily from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the sponsor's current status. Confirm during your call.