Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
Also known as: single leg dumbbell romanian deadlift, single leg rdl, dumbbell single leg deadlift, single leg dumbbell rdl, one leg dumbbell deadlift
In SetGrip: Dumbbell Deadlift (Single Leg)
- Secondary muscles
- Hamstrings, Spine
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Unilateral (one leg at a time)
- Category
- Strength
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One dumbbell and one working leg strip the deadlift down to hip stability: the trailing leg extends behind you as a counterweight while the stance-side glute controls everything. It is far more forgiving than the barbell single-leg version, making it the standard choice for unilateral posterior-chain work in moderate rep ranges.
How to do the Single Leg Dumbbell Deadlift
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your right hand.
- Shift your weight onto your left leg and lift your right foot slightly off the ground.
- Keeping your back straight, hinge forward at the hips and lower the dumbbell towards the ground.
- At the same time, extend your right leg straight behind you, maintaining a slight bend in your left knee.
- Lower the dumbbell until your torso and right leg are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment, then engage your glutes and hamstrings to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.
Tip: Take a big breath, brace the belly against your belt or hands and pull the slack out of the bar before it leaves the floor.
Muscles worked
Primary
Glutes · Legs
The glutes finish the lift by driving the hips forward to lockout and should be squeezed hard at the top of every rep.
Secondary
- Hamstrings — The hamstrings extend the hip from the bottom and are the main mover on straight leg and Romanian variations, where you should feel a strong stretch on the way down.
- Spine — The spinal erectors work isometrically to keep the back flat under load and will be sore the day after a heavy session.
Common mistakes
- Rounding off the floor — set the back flat before the pull by pulling the chest up and the hips down, and keep it that way until lockout.
- Hips shooting up first — if the hips rise before the bar leaves the floor, the legs are not driving; think of pushing the floor away rather than pulling the bar.
- Bar drifting forward — the bar should stay in contact with the legs the whole way, so pull it into you with the lats.
- Hyperextending at the top — finish tall by squeezing the glutes, not by leaning back and arching the lower back.
Where it fits in a workout
Deadlifts go first in a pull or lower body session while you are fresh, or after squats if both are on the same day. Pair Romanian deadlifts with a leg press or hip thrust for a hamstring and glute block.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without dumbbell
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
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Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.