Bodyweight Single Leg RDL
Master the bodyweight single leg RDL to build strength, balance, and stability in your glutes and hamstrings.
Description
A unilateral exercise that targets the hamstrings and glutes, improving balance and stability.
How to Do Bodyweight Single Leg RDL
- 1Setup
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, shoulders back, and core engaged. Shift your weight onto one leg, maintaining a slight bend in the knee.
- 2Setup
Keep your chest up and a neutral spine. Allow the other leg to hover slightly off the ground behind you, or lightly tap the floor for balance.
- 3
Inhale as you slowly hinge at your hip, extending your non-standing leg straight back behind you for counterbalance.
- 4
Lower your torso until it's nearly parallel to the floor, or until you feel a deep stretch in your standing leg's hamstring, keeping a slight bend in your standing knee and a straight back.
- 5
Exhale as you powerfully drive through the heel of your standing foot, squeezing your glute, to return to the upright starting position, bringing your non-standing leg back to hover.
Tips
- Maintain a fixed gaze on a point on the floor about 2-3 feet in front of you to help with balance and keep your neck in a neutral position.
- Initiate the movement by pushing your hips straight back, rather than just bending forward at your waist, to effectively engage your hamstrings and glutes.
- Perform the exercise slowly and deliberately, especially during the eccentric (lowering) phase, to maximize muscle engagement and control.
- Keep your arms relaxed at your sides or extend them forward for additional balance, finding what works best for your stability.
Common Mistakes
- ×Avoid rounding your lower back by keeping your chest up and maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement, engaging your core.
- ×Prevent turning the RDL into a single-leg squat by maintaining only a slight, consistent bend in your standing knee, focusing the hinge at the hip.
- ×If you struggle with balance, try performing the exercise next to a wall or using a light touch of your non-standing foot on the floor as a kickstand.
Variations
Bodyweight Swing
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Bodyweight Good Morning
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Bodyweight B Stance Good Morning
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Landmine Single Leg Landmine RDL
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