Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift: Balance, Hips and Hamstrings Together
The single-leg Romanian deadlift is a hip hinge performed on one leg: you stand on one foot, push your hips back and tip your torso forward while the other leg extends behind you, then return to standing. It trains the hamstrings and glutes of the standing leg, and at the same time challenges balance, ankle and foot control, and the small hip muscles that stop the pelvis twisting. Most people find it awkward at first because it exposes differences between sides. The fix is not to fight the wobble with more effort, but to start with support, keep the hips square and move slowly enough to stay in control.
What makes it different from a normal RDL
A two-legged Romanian deadlift lets you load the hamstrings heavily in a stable position. Take one foot off the floor and three things change:
- Each side works alone. A stronger leg cannot quietly cover for a weaker one.
- The hip has to resist rotation. As you tip forward, the pelvis wants to open towards the free leg. The glutes of the standing leg work hard to stop that.
- Balance becomes part of the exercise. The foot, ankle and lower leg make constant small adjustments.
You will use far less weight than on a barbell RDL. That is fine. The exercise is not a replacement for heavy hinging; it fills the gaps that heavy hinging leaves.
How to do it, step by step
- Stand tall on one leg with a soft bend in the knee, about 15 to 20 degrees. Keep that bend the same all the way through.
- Hold the weight on the opposite side to the standing leg to begin with. Standing on the right leg, hold a dumbbell in the left hand. This helps the hip stay level.
- Push the hips back as if closing a drawer behind you, and let the torso tip forward as one unit with the free leg.
- Keep the hips square to the floor. Imagine headlights on the front of each hip pointing straight down. If one turns up towards the ceiling, you have rotated.
- Lower until you feel a strong stretch in the back of the standing leg, or until your back starts to round. For most people that is when the weight reaches somewhere between knee and mid-shin.
- Return by driving the hips forward, squeezing the glute of the standing leg, until you are tall again.
- Do all reps on one side, then switch. Start with your weaker or less steady side.
The back leg is not just along for the ride. Keep it straight-ish and reaching back through the heel, with the toes pointing to the floor. That reach acts as a counterweight and makes balancing easier.
Regressions if you wobble
Almost everyone wobbles at first. Rather than battling it, use a version that lets you practise the hinge cleanly.
| Version | How it works | Move on when |
|---|---|---|
| Supported | One hand lightly on a rack upright or wall, weight in the other | You can do 3 x 10 with almost no pressure on the support |
| Kickstand | Back foot’s toes stay on the floor slightly behind you, carrying a little weight | The movement is smooth and the hips stay square |
| Bodyweight, free | No support, hands reaching towards the floor | You can pause at the bottom for two seconds without touching down |
| Loaded, free | One dumbbell in the opposite hand | Add weight gradually |
If the basic hinge pattern itself is new, practise the hip hinge on two legs first. It makes the single-leg version much easier to learn.
Common mistakes
Squatting instead of hinging
If the standing knee bends more as you go down, the movement turns into a strange single-leg squat. Keep the knee angle fixed and let the hips do the moving.
Opening the hip
The free leg’s hip turning up towards the ceiling is the most common fault. Point the back toes at the floor and think about keeping the belt line level.
Rounding to reach lower
Reaching the floor is not the goal. Stop where your back stays long.
Rushing
Fast reps hide balance problems. Take two or three seconds on the way down.
Locking the standing knee
A fully straight knee shifts strain to the back of the knee and makes balancing harder. Keep the soft bend.
Where it fits in a programme
For most of the clients I coach, busy adults over 30 who want to stay strong and move well, the single-leg RDL works best as an accessory after a main lift. Two or three sets of six to ten reps per side, two or three times a week, is plenty. It also makes a useful warm-up before heavier deadlifts, and pairs well with work for the feet and ankles; our piece on foot strengthening exercises covers that side.
Balance work like this matters more with age. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ physical activity guidelines specifically recommend activities that improve balance, strength and flexibility for older adults, alongside muscle-strengthening on at least two days a week for all adults.
If you have a current back, hip or knee injury, problems with balance or dizziness, a heart condition, are pregnant or are returning after a long break, check with your GP first.
Coaching it in a private session
The single-leg RDL is an exercise where a second pair of eyes saves weeks. Small things, how the foot grips the floor, where you look, the angle of the back leg, change how stable it feels. In a private 1-1 personal training session in Highgate, we start on the supported version and only remove the support when you are ready. Plans and current prices are on the training page.
Questions we get asked
Which hand should hold the weight?
Usually the hand opposite the standing leg. It helps keep the hips level. Holding it on the same side is a harder variation.
Why is one side so much worse?
Differences between sides are normal. Start each set with the weaker side and match the reps on the stronger side.
Can I use a kettlebell?
Yes, a kettlebell works well if you have one. A dumbbell does the same job.
How heavy should I go?
Light enough that you can keep the hips square and control the descent for every rep. Balance should limit you before strength does.
Book with The Highgate House
Ready to start training properly? Email us at [email protected] with the service and the day that suits you, and we will come back to you with times.
Visit The Highgate House · Private personal training
The Highgate House, Archway Road, Highgate, London N6.
