Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
A one-legged hip hinge: balancing on a slightly bent leg, you tip your torso forward as the free leg travels back, lower toward the floor, then drive your hips forward to stand.
Equipment
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings, Glutes
- Secondary
- Lower back
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings, Glutes
- Secondary
- Lower back
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
- Primary muscles
- Hamstrings, Glutes
- Secondary
- Lower back
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
Standing on one leg makes this as much a balance and hip control drill as a hamstring exercise, so it suits runners, field-sport athletes and anyone who wants to even out side-to-side differences. You'll use far less weight than in a two-leg Romanian deadlift. Start with bodyweight until you can hinge with level hips, then hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand opposite the standing leg; a kettlebell's compact shape is a little easier to keep close.
How to do it (Dumbbell)
Stand on one leg holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand, with a soft bend in the standing knee.
Hinge at the hips and let the free leg travel straight back as your torso tips forward, keeping your back flat.
Lower the dumbbell along your standing leg until you feel a stretch in the hamstring, hips staying square to the floor.
Drive your hips forward to stand back up. Fix your eyes on a spot on the floor to keep your balance, and finish all reps on one side before switching.
Stand on one leg holding a kettlebell in the opposite hand, with a soft bend in the standing knee.
Hinge at the hips and let the free leg travel straight back as your torso tips forward, keeping your back flat.
Lower the kettlebell toward the floor until you feel a stretch in the hamstring, hips staying square.
Drive your hips forward to stand back up. Finish all reps on one side before switching.
Stand on one leg with a soft bend in the knee and your arms relaxed at your sides.
Hinge at the hips and let the free leg travel straight back as your torso tips forward, keeping your back flat.
Reach toward the floor until your torso and back leg are roughly parallel to the ground, hips square.
Drive your hips forward to stand back up. Move slowly, since balance is the point here, and finish all reps on one side before switching.
Common mistakes
Opening your hip as you lean
The back hip tends to rotate up toward the ceiling, which turns the hinge into a twist. Point the toes of your back foot at the floor to keep your hips square.
Bending the standing knee too much
Sinking into the knee turns it into a one-legged squat and takes the stretch off the hamstring. Keep a soft bend that stays the same from top to bottom.
Reaching with your arm instead of hinging
Dropping your shoulder to get the weight lower rounds your back. Let the weight hang straight below your shoulder and get depth by moving your hips back.
Rushing when you wobble
Speed makes balance worse. Slow down, fix your eyes on a spot on the floor, and tap the free foot down between reps if you need to reset.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
