Description
A single-leg exercise that targets the hamstring, glutes, and lower back. It requires balance and coordination, and is performed with a dumbbell in one hand while standing on one leg.
How to Do Dumbbell Single Leg Deadlift
- 1Setup
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in the hand opposite to your standing leg. Keep your chest up and shoulders pulled back.
- 2Setup
Shift your weight onto your standing leg, maintaining a soft bend in the knee, and lightly touch the toes of your non-standing leg to the floor behind you for initial balance.
- 3
Keeping your back straight and core engaged, hinge at your hips, extending your non-standing leg straight back behind you for counterbalance as your torso lowers.
- 4
Lower the dumbbell towards the floor, maintaining a neutral spine, until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor or you feel a deep stretch in your standing hamstring.
- 5
Engage your glute and hamstring of the standing leg to pull your torso back up, simultaneously bringing your non-standing leg forward to return to the starting position.
Tips
- Focus on initiating the movement by pushing your hips back, rather than bending your knee excessively, to emphasize the hamstring and glute stretch.
- Keep your non-standing leg actively extended and engaged throughout the eccentric (lowering) phase to act as a counterbalance, improving stability.
- Maintain a fixed gaze on a spot on the floor about 3-5 feet in front of you to help stabilize your balance during the entire movement.
- Control the descent and ascent; avoid rushing through the movement. The slower you move, the more time your muscles are under tension and the better your balance will become.
Common Mistakes
- ×Rounding the back during the lowering phase compromises spinal safety; instead, maintain a neutral spine by keeping your chest up and core braced.
- ×Allowing the non-standing hip to rotate open makes the exercise less effective for the glutes; keep your hips square to the floor throughout the movement.
- ×Excessively bending the standing knee turns it into a squat rather than a hip hinge; focus on pushing your hips straight back and maintaining a slight, consistent bend in the standing knee.
Variations
Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift
Perform the Barbell Stiff Legged Deadlift to powerfully strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
Dumbbell Straight Legs Deadlift
Sculpt your glutes and hamstrings with the Dumbbell Straight Leg Deadlift. This effective hip hinge exercise builds strength and improves posterior chain
Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift
Perform the Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift to build strong hamstrings and glutes. This hip-hinge exercise effectively targets the posterior chain, improving
Dumbbell Single Stiff Leg Deadlift
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