Hamstrings · Dumbbell

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

One leg, one dumbbell, total hamstring control.

Single Leg Romanian Deadlift exercise demonstration
HamstringsSecondary: GlutesDumbbell

How to do it

  1. Hold a dumbbell and balance on one leg with a soft knee.
  2. Hinge at the hip, lowering the weight as your free leg extends straight behind you.
  3. Lower until your torso and back leg are near parallel to the floor.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand tall and squeeze the glute.

The one cue that matters

Keep your hips level and square to the floor, don't let the rising leg's hip rotate open.

Muscles worked

Balancing on one leg turns the RDL into a full-chain test. The standing hamstring loads through a long stretch as you hinge, the glute powers the drive back up, and the whole hip has to fight rotation the entire time. One dumbbell is all it takes, and because each leg works alone, the exercise finds the weaker side and forces it to catch up.

FAQ

What does the single leg RDL do that a regular RDL doesn't?

It adds balance, hip stability and anti-rotation on top of the hamstring stretch, and it stops your stronger side quietly doing more than its share. You will use less weight, but each leg earns everything it lifts.

How heavy should single leg RDLs be?

Much lighter than your two-legged RDL, at least at first. Balance is the limiting factor, so pick a dumbbell you can lower slowly with square hips. The load can climb once the wobble goes.

Why does my hip keep rotating open at the bottom?

The free leg is lifting too enthusiastically and dragging the pelvis with it. Think of the back leg as a counterweight, not a feature, keep the toes of that foot pointing down, and shorten the range until the hips stay level.

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