How to Do a Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

To do a single-leg Romanian deadlift, stand on one leg with a slight bend in the knee, hinge at your hips so your chest tips forward and your free leg reaches straight back, lower until you feel a stretch in the back of your standing leg, then push your hips forward to stand tall. If you wobble or tip over, start with the kickstand version or hold a support, and add a dumbbell or kettlebell only once the movement feels steady.

The single-leg RDL, short for Romanian deadlift, is the same hip hinge as the two-legged lift, done on one foot. If you have not learned the hinge yet, start with our guide on how to do a Romanian deadlift. This guide picks up where that one finishes.

What is a single-leg Romanian deadlift, and what muscles does it work?

Your standing leg does almost all the work, while smaller muscles keep you upright.

• Hamstrings. The back of your standing thigh lengthens under load as you lower.
• Glutes. Your main glute drives your hip forward to stand tall, and the smaller glute at the side of your hip keeps your pelvis level.
• Lower back and core. They hold your back long and stop you twisting.
• Calf, ankle and foot. Small muscles make constant tiny adjustments to keep you balanced.

Because you are on one leg, a stronger side cannot do extra work, so it is a useful way to spot differences between your left and right.

How do you stop losing your balance?

Almost everyone wobbles at first, and the wobble is part of the training. These cues help.

• Fix your eyes on one spot. Pick a mark on the floor about two metres ahead.
• Grip the floor with your foot. Press down through your big toe, little toe and heel, like a tripod.
• Keep a soft knee. A slightly bent standing knee is easier to balance on than a locked one.
• Point your back toes at the floor. This keeps your hips square. Picture headlights on both hip bones, shining straight down.
• Move as one piece. Your head, back and free heel stay in one long line.
• Slow down. Take about 3 seconds to lower.

Many people also find balance easier in flat shoes than in thick, soft running shoes.

How do you do the kickstand version first?

The kickstand RDL, sometimes called a B-stance RDL, is the best place to start. Your back foot rests lightly on the floor like a bike kickstand, so you train one leg without balancing fully on it.

• Set your feet. Slide one foot back so its toes sit roughly level with your front heel, and lift that back heel.
• Load the front leg. Put almost all your weight through your front foot.
• Soften and brace. Unlock your front knee slightly and tighten your middle.
• Hinge. Push your hips back and let your chest tip forward, back long, weight close to your front leg.
• Stop at the stretch. Lower for about 3 seconds until the back of your front thigh stretches.
• Stand tall. Drive your front hip forward and finish straight, without leaning back.

Do all your reps on one side, then switch. If you feel it in your back leg, shift more weight forward.

How do you do a single-leg Romanian deadlift step by step?

Once the kickstand version feels steady for 3 sets of 8, lift the back foot off the floor and follow this sequence.

• Stand on one leg. Soft knee, eyes on your spot, any weight in the hand opposite your standing leg.
• Brace. Breathe in, tighten your middle, shoulders down.
• Hinge and reach. Push your hips back as your free leg reaches behind you, knee almost straight and toes pointing at the floor.
• Keep the line. Body and back leg move together, head to heel.
• Lower slowly. Take about 3 seconds until your standing hamstring stretches. For most beginners the weight reaches around knee to mid-shin height.
• Drive back up. Push the floor away and bring your hips forward to stand tall. Breathe out as you rise.

Should you hold a support, a dumbbell or a kettlebell?

Each has a job, and you can combine them.

• A support. Rest one hand lightly on a wall, a squat rack or a broom held upright. It lets you learn the hip position before you have to balance.
• One kettlebell. Compact and easy to keep close to your leg.
• One dumbbell. Works the same, and small weight jumps make progress easy.
• Two dumbbells. One in each hand lets you lift more once balance is solid.

A common starting set-up is the weight in the hand opposite your standing leg and your other hand on the support. Go noticeably lighter than for a two-legged RDL.

What does the progression ladder look like?

Work from easier to harder. Move up a rung when you can do 3 sets of 8 clean reps on each leg without putting your foot down.

• Two-legged RDL. Learn the hinge with a light weight.
• Kickstand RDL holding a support. Back toes down, one hand steadying you.
• Kickstand RDL with a weight. One dumbbell or kettlebell in the opposite hand.
• Single-leg RDL holding a support. Back foot off the floor, fingertips on the wall or rack.
• Single-leg RDL, bodyweight. No support, slow and steady.
• Single-leg RDL with one weight. Dumbbell or kettlebell in the opposite hand.
• Heavier single-leg RDL. More weight, a dumbbell in each hand, or a 2-second pause at the bottom.

What are the most common mistakes, and how do you fix them?

Film a set from the side now and then. Most faults are easy to spot on video.

Tired hamstrings and glutes are normal. Sharp or pinching pain in your back, hip or knee is not. If you feel it, stop, and see a physio before you load the movement again.

How many sets and reps should you do?

Beginners do well with 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps on each leg, once or twice a week, resting 60 to 90 seconds between rounds. Start with your less steady side, and finish each set feeling you could do two or three more good reps. Here is a simple 4-week start.

After week 4, add a little weight and drop back to 3 sets of 6, then build towards 10 reps again.

Why does single-leg work help runners?

Running happens one leg at a time. On every stride you land on one foot, hold your hips steady and push off again. The single-leg RDL trains those same pieces: hamstring and glute strength on each leg, balance, and hip control.

Research reviews suggest regular strength training may improve running economy, which is how much energy it costs you to hold a given pace. No single exercise can promise fewer injuries or faster times on its own. Our guide on why your glutes matter for runners explains their role in every stride.

How does the single-leg RDL fit into a hybrid week with running?

It is lighter than most strength moves, so it slots in easily.

• Put it on your strength days. Do 2 to 3 sets after a squat or two-legged RDL.
• Keep heavy sets away from hard runs. Avoid your heaviest sets the day before intervals or your long run.
• Run first if the run matters more. On a double day, do the more important session first.
• Use it as a warm-up drill. One set of 5 slow bodyweight reps per leg wakes up your hips before an easy run.
• Ease off in race week. Drop the weight or leave it out.

For more, see our guide on how to balance running and lifting in one week.

Edge puts running, strength and HIIT in one plan, so your strength days and run days are planned together. Edge is free to use, and Edge Pro adds a fully personalised plan from £19.99 a month with a free 7-day trial, plus a real coach to message if a move does not feel right.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, pregnant, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.