Hamstrings · Barbell

Barbell B-Stance RDL

Sneaky single-leg hinge with the stability of a barbell.

HamstringsSecondary: GlutesBarbell

How to do it

  1. Hold a barbell at your thighs and set one foot back on its toes as a kickstand.
  2. Keep most of your weight on the front leg, knee slightly bent.
  3. Hinge at the hips and lower the bar down the front of your leg.
  4. Snap your hips forward to lock out, then switch the back foot.

The one cue that matters

Keep the bar close and your back flat. Push your hips back, the bar follows.

Muscles worked

The kickstand foot shifts almost all the load onto the front leg, so the hamstring on that side lengthens under near single-leg loading while the glute finishes the hip lockout. Because the back toes stay down for balance, you keep the stability of a normal barbell hinge and can load it far heavier than a true single-leg RDL. It is the move for ironing out left to right differences without turning your hinge into a balance act.

FAQ

How much weight should be on the back foot in a B-stance RDL?

Very little, think of the back foot as a kickstand carrying maybe a tenth of the load. If you feel the back leg working, shift more weight forward until the front hamstring is clearly doing the job.

B-stance RDL or single-leg RDL, which is better?

B-stance lets you load heavier and focus on the hamstring instead of fighting for balance, so it usually wins for muscle and strength. The true single-leg version earns its place when balance and hip control are the goal.

How heavy should I go compared with my normal RDL?

Expect to use well under half your two-leg RDL load per side, since one hamstring is doing nearly all the work. Start light, find the deep stretch down the front leg, and build from there.

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