Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Stand on one leg holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in the opposite hand. Keep your standing leg slightly bent and your chest up with shoulders back.

2. 2

   Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine position. Your free leg should hover slightly behind you, ready to extend backward during the movement.

3. 3

   Begin the hip hinge by pushing your hips backward while simultaneously extending your non-working leg straight behind you for counterbalance. The weight should lower toward the floor.

4. 4

   Keep your back flat and core tight as you hinge forward, maintaining a straight line from your head through your extended leg. Your torso and rear leg should move as one unit.

5. 5

   Lower the weight until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstring, typically when your torso reaches parallel to the floor or slightly below. Keep the weight close to your body throughout.

6. 6

   Drive through your standing heel and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position. Your hips should extend powerfully while maintaining control throughout the movement.

7. 7

   Bring your elevated leg back to the starting position and maintain balance before beginning the next rep. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.

Common Mistakes

• Rounding Your Back

  Allowing your spine to round forward places dangerous stress on your lower back discs and reduces hamstring activation. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.

• Letting Your Hips Rotate Open

  When your hips rotate and open toward the side, you lose posterior chain tension and compromise stability. Keep your hips square to the ground throughout the movement.

• Bending the Standing Knee Too Much

  Excessive knee bend turns this into a squat pattern rather than a hip hinge, shifting emphasis away from the hamstrings. Keep only a slight bend in your standing leg.

• Losing Balance and Rushing

  Moving too quickly or losing balance reduces muscle activation and increases injury risk. Move deliberately and maintain control, even if it means using lighter weight initially.

Pro Tips

• Focus on a Spot on the Floor

  Maintaining visual focus on a point about 3-4 feet in front of you helps maintain balance and prevents your head from dropping or lifting excessively.

• Think "Reach Back" Not "Kick Up"

  Your elevated leg should reach straight behind you as a counterbalance, not kick upward. This keeps proper alignment and maximizes posterior chain engagement.

• Use a Light Touch for Balance Initially

  When learning, lightly touch a wall or sturdy surface for balance while maintaining most of your weight on the working leg. Gradually reduce support as stability improves.

• Experiment with Weight Position

  Holding weight in the same-side hand challenges stability more, while opposite-hand creates an easier balance point. Both variations offer unique benefits for development.

Variations

These variations progress the movement or modify the challenge level to suit different skill levels and training goals.

• Bodyweight Single-Leg RDL

  Perfect for mastering the movement pattern and developing balance before adding external resistance.

• Kickstand RDL

  Keep the toe of your non-working leg lightly touching the ground behind you for added stability while still emphasizing unilateral loading.

• B-Stance RDL

  Position your back foot slightly behind and to the side for moderate support, creating a bridge between bilateral and full single-leg versions.

• Single-Leg RDL with Reach

  Touch the ground with your hand instead of using a weight, emphasizing mobility and body control throughout the full range of motion.

Alternative Exercises

These exercises target similar muscle groups and movement patterns, offering effective alternatives when you need variety or different training challenges.

• Conventional Romanian Deadlift

  The bilateral version allows heavier loading and builds overall hamstring and glute mass effectively.

• Bulgarian Split Squat

  A unilateral leg exercise that targets similar muscles while also emphasizing quadriceps development.

• Single-Leg Glute Bridge

  Focuses on hip extension and glute activation in a more stable, floor-based position ideal for targeted posterior chain work.

• Cable Pull-Through

  Provides constant tension on the hamstrings and glutes through a hip hinge pattern while being easier to balance than free weight versions.