How to Do A Single Leg RDL

Have you ever found yourself in the gym, performing deadlifts over and over, feeling bored and monotonous, even starting to wonder if you’re wasting your time? You’re not alone. Many people experience this “mechanical training” dilemma-your muscles are working, but your mind has already checked out.

So why not try a variation that’s both effective and fun? The Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (SLDL) is exactly that. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast aiming to build strength or just looking to add some excitement to your routine, this exercise offers a completely different experience. Ready to give it a try? Let’s dive into the world of Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts now!

Single Leg RDL Takeaways

• Key Features: Perform traditional deadlift on a single leg
• Main Benefits: Effectively strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, enhances hip extension strength, helps correct left-right strength imbalances, and reinforces the stabilizing muscles of the pelvis, hips, and ankles.
• Target Muscles: Hamstrings, Glutes, Gluteus, Erector Spinae, Core Muscles, Calves/Ankle Stabilizers
• RDL Variations: Kickstand RDL, Dumbell RDL, Kettlebell RDL, Barbell RDL, Landmine RDL
• RDL Alternatives: Conventional Deadlift, Glute Bridge, Hip Thrust

What’s a Single Leg Romanian Deadlift

The single leg deadlifts is a variation of the traditional deadlift performed on one leg at a time. It requires you to lean forward and bend down at the hips while lifting the non-supporting leg and maintaining balance throughout the movement. You can perform the single-leg deadlift using just your body weight, or hold a weight with either or both hands and lower it down along the supporting leg. This exercise specifically targets one side of the lower body, helping to build strength while also improving balance and overall stability.

Muscles Worked in Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts

These are the primary muscles targeted during one leg romanian deadlift:

• Hamstrings (back of the thigh): Help stabilize the leg during hip hinge and is crucial for walking, running, and other daily movements.
• Glutes (especially the Gluteus Maximus): Play a key role in hip extension and is essential for jumping, sprinting, and squatting.
• Gluteus Medius/Gluteus Minimus: Located on the sides of the hips and help stabilize the pelvis 
• Erector Spinae (lower back): Stabilizes the spine and prevents excessive forward lean.
• Core Muscles (Rectus Abdominis, Obliques, Transverse Abdominis): Maintain trunk stability and prevent excessive wobbling during the movement.
• Calves/Ankle Stabilizers: Help maintain calf and ankle balance.

Difference Between Single-Leg RDLs and RDLs

The main difference between the RDLs(Romanian Deadlifts) and the SLDLs(Single-Leg Deadlifts) lies in the base of support. The RDLs are performed with both feet on the ground, providing greater stability and allowing for heavier loads, making it more focused on strength development. Single leg RDLs, on the other hand, are performed on one leg and requires greater balance and core control. Both movements are hip-dominant hinge exercises, the SLDLs further develop pelvic anti-rotation, lateral hip stability, and ankle stability compared to the RDLs.

Benefits of the Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

As an advanced variation of the standard Romanian deadlifts, the one leg rdl not only strengthens lower body muscles, improves unilateral control, but also enhances overall functional movement. Compared to the traditional two-leg Romanian deadlift, it is more challenging and provides a wider range of comprehensive training benefits:

1.Increase Lower Body Strength and Endurance

Like the traditional two-leg Romanian deadlift, the single leg RDL effectively targets the hamstrings and glutes, improving hip extension strength. At the same time, it engages the core and lower back muscles, enhancing overall lower body strength and endurance, and providing a solid foundation for activities such as jumping and sprinting.

2.Correct Left-Right Strength Imbalances

During bilateral exercises, if one leg is weaker than the other, overcompensation may occur, with the stronger side taking over for the weaker side. This compensation may cause the pelvis to tilt or rotate, disrupt proper movement patterns, and increase the risk of injury. The single leg RDL, however, works one leg at a time, allowing you to identify strength differences between two sides. By specifically training the weaker side, it helps correct imbalances, improve unilateral muscle control, and reduce injury risk. This is especially beneficial for activities like running, which rely heavily on single-leg strength during movement.

3.Improve Balance and Stability

Compared to the standard two-leg Romanian deadlift, the single-leg RDL performs the movement on one leg, forcing the body to maintain balance under unstable conditions. This provides extra training for the pelvis, hips, and ankle stabilizers. At the same time, the core muscles-including the abdominals, back muscles, and deep stabilizers must remain engaged to maintain trunk control and prevent excessive wobbling. With consistent practice, single-leg RDLs not only improve overall balance and coordination but also enhance athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury during daily activities or sports.

How to Do Single-Leg Romanian Deadlifts

After understanding the targeted muscles and the benefits of the SLDL, learning the correct single leg rdl form is just as important as well. Below, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of performing a proper Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift.
Step 1:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Shift your weight onto your right leg and keep a slight bend in your right knee to maintain balance and stability. Lift your left foot slightly off the ground.
Step 2:
Hinge at the hips and push your hips back. Extend your left leg toward the wall behind you while reaching your hands forward toward the wall in front of you, until your upper body and left leg form a straight line, roughly parallel to the floor. Keep your left foot off the ground throughout the movement.
Step 3:
Lower your left foot, lift your chest, and return to a standing position.
Step 4:
Switch legs as needed. Perform 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions on each side.

RDL Variations

If you’ve already mastered the standard RDLs and single-leg RDLs, you can also incorporate small equipment into your training and try different RDL variations to make your workouts more engaging and more challenging. Here are four common RDL variations:

Kickstand RDL

The Kickstand RDL is a variation that falls between the traditional two-legged RDL and the single-leg RDL. The movement pattern is the same as the SLDL, with the core principle remaining the hip hinge. The difference is that the non-supporting leg lightly touches the ground with the toes, serving as an auxiliary “kickstand”to help with balance. It is more stable than the SLDL, making it the best transitional variation toward the SLDL.

Dumbell RDL

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and perform either a standard Romanian deadlift or a dumbbell single leg rdl. Compared to a bodyweight deadlift, the dumbbell RDL places greater emphasis on the stretch and contraction of the posterior chain, primarily strengthening the glutes, hamstrings (back of the thighs), and lower back muscles.

Kettlebell RDL

The movement pattern is similar to the dumbbell variation, but the kettlebell’s unique design allows for different grip options, adding variety to your training. Additionally, the asymmetrical load created by holding a kettlebell on one side further challenges your balance and coordination, making it an excellent choice for improving overall stability.

Barbell RDL

The barbell allows for heavier loading, making it ideal for building strength and muscle. With both hands fixed on a single bar, it offers excellent stability during the movement, making it well suited for structured strength training and more advanced lifters.

Landmine RDL

To perform a landmine RDL, load weight plates onto one end of a barbell and secure the other end into a landmine attachment (such as the one included with the X6 Power Rack). Stand on one leg and hold the barbell with one hand, keeping it close to your body. Use the fixed end as a pivot point and control the weighted end as you lower it toward the floor. This variation not only targets the glutes and hamstrings but also challenges balance and activates the core muscles.

Romanian Deadlift Alternative

The primary target muscles of the RDLs are the hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and lower back. If you want to train similar muscle groups, you can also consider trying the following exercises:

1.Conventional Deadlift

The conventional deadlift lifts the barbell from the floor and is a full-body strength exercise. The knees bend significantly, with the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back all engaged. In contrast, the RDLs focus more on the posterior chain, with less knee involvement, emphasizing the hip hinge and posterior chain control.

2.Glute Bridge

In the glute bridge, the shoulders and back rest on the floor, knees are bent, and feet are planted while lifting the pelvis using the glutes. It primarily targets the gluteus maximus while also engaging the hamstrings and core. The range of motion and load are limited, making it suitable for bodyweight or beginner training, and it helps strengthen the glutes and posterior chain.

3.Hip Thrust

In the hip thrust, the shoulders rest on a hip thrust bench, feet on the floor, and the hips are lifted using gluteal power. It mainly activates the gluteus maximus while also engaging the hamstrings and stabilizing the core. Compared to the RDL, it places less stress on the lower back, emphasizes glute contraction and hip extension, and can be performed with bodyweight or added barbell load. It is ideal for building glute strength and improving explosive power.

Of course, you can perform any of the exercises above on a single leg to achieve benefits similar to the single leg rdl.

Final Words

The single leg RDL effectively strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, enhances hip extension strength, and helps correct potential left-right strength imbalances that can occur during traditional deadlifts. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast aiming to improve performance or simply looking to add some variety to your routine, this is a highly worthwhile exercise to try. Consider adding the Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift to your training program and experience a more stable and efficient lower-body workout now!

Single Leg RDL FAQs

SLDL or RDL: Which is Better for Your Lower Back?

The Romanian Deadlift involves a smaller range of motion with slightly bent knees, making it generally safer for the lower back. For most people, especially beginners, it is considered a safer exercise option.

RDL, SLDL, and Stiff-Leg Deadlift: What’s the Difference?

• RDL: Both feet on the ground, knees slightly bent, balanced and safe for loading.
• SLDL: Single-leg support, knees slightly bent, increases balance and engages the core.
• Stiff-Leg DL: Both feet on the ground, knees nearly straight, emphasizes hamstring stretch and places more load on the lower back.