Single Leg Supported Dumbbell Deadlift

Also known as: supported single-leg rdl

In SetGrip: Supported Dumbbell Deadlift (Single Leg)

Secondary muscles
Glutes, Spine, Calves, Forearms, Abs
Body part
Upper Legs
Position
Standing
Laterality
Unilateral (one leg at a time)
Category
Strength

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Resting the toes of your back foot on a low box behind you removes most of the balance problem from a single-leg hinge, so the working hamstring, not your wobble, decides the set. That makes it the honest middle step between two-leg Romanian deadlifts and the free-standing single-leg version.

How to do the Single Leg Supported Dumbbell Deadlift

  1. Place a low step/box 30–45 cm behind you and lightly rest the toes of the non-working foot on it; stand tall on the working leg holding a dumbbell in the same-side hand, arm straight.
  2. Set the working foot under the hip, keep a soft knee (10–20° bend), brace your core, and keep hips and shoulders square.
  3. Hinge at the hips by pushing them back, keeping the dumbbell close to your shin and the working knee angle nearly constant.
  4. Maintain a neutral spine from head to pelvis; lower until you feel a firm hamstring stretch or your torso nears parallel without rounding.
  5. Keep 80–90% of your weight on the working leg; the rear foot is for balance only, not to push from.
  6. Drive through the working heel, extend the hip, and return to stand without hyperextending the lower back.
  7. Reset your brace and repeat for reps, 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

Hamstrings · Legs

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.

Secondary

  • Glutes — The glutes finish the lift by driving the hips forward to lockout and should be squeezed hard at the top of every rep.
  • Spine — The spinal erectors work isometrically to keep the back flat under load and will be sore the day after a heavy session.
  • Calves
  • Forearms — Grip is the limiter on heavy deadlifts, so use a mixed grip, hook grip or straps once the double overhand starts to slip.
  • Abs

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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More exercises

Sources

  1. ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
  2. ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
  3. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
  4. 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.