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Few exercises provide the strength and stability stimulus while sparing the spine quite like the single-leg Romanian deadlift, or the RDL.
Athletes and weekend warriors alike can benefit from this exercise. For athletes, it increases single-leg strength needed for sprinting, jumping, and changing directions. For the weekend warrior, the single-leg Romanian deadlift can pack muscle on your posterior chain, or the glutes and hamstrings. Ladies, we all know what a firm booty can do for a pair of jeans.
The single-leg Romanian deadlift also helps eliminate strength asymmetries between the right and left side.
Let’s first look at what a single-leg Romanian deadlift should look like
How To Perform a Proper Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
- Balance on one leg with weight or unloaded hand in front of body.
- Shift hips backwards allowing the knee on the working leg to bend slightly
- The off leg should be straight but a slight bend of the knee is ok. Flex the offside glute to help keep leg in straight light with the rest of the body.
- Keep back flat, only bending or flexing at the hip.
- Drive through the heel and push hips forward back to the starting point.
Tips
- Focus gaze on point about 10 feet in front.
- Squeeze dumbbell or weight to help activate the muscles of the upper back, assisting in maintaining a neutral spine.
- Do not reach with the dumbbell or weight to create more “range of motion”.
- Lower weight in a vertical path
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Reaching with the weight
The single-leg Romanian deadlift is a variation of the hip hinge. The range of motion within the exercise should occur at the hip. By reaching with the dumbbell the spine can begin to round and is often used by those trying to cheat to achieve more range of motion. By activating the muscles of the upper back and limiting the “reach” you can help maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement
Opening the hip
This compensation or faulty patter takes the stress off the target muscles. By opening the hip, you bring the center of gravity over the working leg. This makes it easier on the stabilizer muscles of the hip and core.
Focus on keeping toe of off-leg pointing towards the ground. This cue will help to prevent you from opening your hip during the exercise.
Groove the Move
It is important before you begin to master the single-leg Romanian deadlift to have the bilateral hip hinge down pat. If you can’t hinge on two legs, one leg won’t look pretty. Start with bodyweight movement before adding load. Check out the following moves to help you groove the move! This following progression can be done to introduce the move both with or without weight.
Assisted Single-leg Romanian Deadlift
You can hold onto an incline bench, a down, or a rack to help maintain your balance while you move through the exercise.
Single-leg Romanian Deadlift with “Kickstand”
By maintaining contact with the back foot to the ground, you help decrease the balance demand.
Single-leg Romanian Deadlift with Slider
This variation helps to introduce the back leg mechanics to the movement. The range of motion must be shortened a bit to maintain contact with the slider.
Single-leg Romanian Deadlift with Slider on Bench
This variation allows for greater range of motion as well as higher back leg movement.
Advanced Single-leg Variations
Dumbbell Single-leg RDL
Barbell Single-leg RDL
Landmine Single-leg RDL