- Hinge from the hip with a soft standing knee; this is not a squat.
- Keep your hips square to the floor, with your back toes pointing down.
- Lower only as far as you can keep a flat back and full control.
- The kickstand version lets you load it heavier while your balance catches up.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Trains
- Hamstrings, Glutes, Glute medius, Adductors, Foot and ankle stabilisers, Core
- Kit
- Dumbbell or kettlebell, Barbell (optional)
What the single leg RDL trains and why it is worth doing
The single leg RDL works the hamstrings and glutes of your standing leg, including the glute medius on the side of your hip, which works hard to keep your pelvis level. Your adductors, foot and ankle muscles and trunk all help you balance.
Because it trains one leg at a time, it builds the kind of hip stability runners and field-sport athletes need, and it shows up differences between sides. It also lets you train the hinge with far less load on your spine than a heavy Romanian deadlift. The guide to unilateral training explains why single-leg work deserves a place in most programmes.
How to do a single leg Romanian deadlift
- Stand on your left leg with a slight bend in the knee, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand.
- Brace your trunk and set your shoulders back.
- Hinge forwards from your left hip, letting your right leg travel straight back behind you as your chest lowers.
- Keep your hips square to the floor, with the toes of your back foot pointing down, and let the weight hang close to your standing leg.
- Lower until you feel a strong stretch in your left hamstring, often with your torso near parallel to the floor, without your back rounding.
- Drive your left hip forwards and squeeze your glute to return to standing. Complete your reps, then switch sides.
Common mistakes
- Hips opening up. Letting the hip of your back leg rotate upwards twists your pelvis. Keep your back toes pointing at the floor.
- Squatting instead of hinging. Bending the standing knee a lot and sinking down turns it into a single-leg squat. Push your hips back.
- Rounding the back. Reaching for the floor with a curved spine takes tension off the hamstrings. Only go as low as you can with a flat back.
- Rushing. Speed makes balance harder. Slow, controlled reps are more effective.
- Weight drifting away. Keep the weight hanging close to your standing leg.
Easier and harder versions
To make it easier:
- Hold a rack or wall with your free hand for balance.
- Use the kickstand (B-stance) version: most of your weight on the front leg, with the back toes resting lightly on the floor.
- Practise with bodyweight only before adding load.
To make it harder, hold a heavier dumbbell or kettlebell, use a dumbbell in each hand, hold a barbell, add a pause at the bottom, or slow the lowering phase to 3 or 4 seconds.
How to programme the single leg RDL
Do 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps per side, once or twice a week, resting 60 to 90 seconds between sides. It fits well as a secondary lift after squats or deadlifts on a lower-body day, or as the main hinge when your back needs a lighter week. Runners often place it in a strength session away from their hardest runs.
It pairs well with the Nordic hamstring curl for hamstring resilience. If you have had a hamstring strain, it is often part of later-stage rehab, ideally progressed with a physio's input.
If you want coached lower-body work, Lycan Strength runs Lower classes on Thursday morning and evening; the class timetable has the details.
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Questions
Why do I lose balance on single leg RDLs?
Balance improves quickly with practice. Slow down, fix your eyes on a spot on the floor, keep a soft knee, and use a wall or the kickstand version until you are steady.
Which hand should hold the weight?
Holding it in the hand opposite your standing leg is most common and challenges the glute medius more. Holding it on the same side, or using two dumbbells, also works.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.
