Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

The single-leg Romanian deadlift is a one-sided hip hinge. You stand on one leg, lean your torso forward while the other leg lifts behind you, and return upright. It mainly targets the hamstrings and glutes of the standing leg, while also challenging your core, hips, ankles, and lower back to keep you balanced.

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your weight on one foot. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand on the same side as your standing leg, or keep both hands empty. Keep a slight bend in the standing knee and let the other foot hover just above the floor. Pull your ribs down and set your shoulders so your torso is tall.

Push your hips back and let your torso lean forward. Your free leg travels behind you as a counterweight, moving in one straight line with your torso. Lower until you feel a stretch in the standing-leg hamstring or until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor, whichever comes first. Drive through the heel of your standing foot, squeeze the glute, and bring your hips forward to stand tall. Finish all reps on one side, then switch legs.

Take a breath in and brace your core before you hinge. Exhale as you stand back up. This exercise trains single-leg hip stability that fixed pedal work never does. For an easier option, use bodyweight and lightly touch a wall or rack for balance. To make it harder, hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in the hand opposite your standing leg, which forces your hips and core to resist rotation.

Fault: The standing knee bends too much and the move turns into a squat. Fix: Keep only a soft bend in the knee and focus on pushing your hips straight back, not dropping down.

Fault: The hips twist or one hip lifts toward the ceiling. Fix: Keep both hip bones pointing toward the floor throughout the rep, just as the square-hips cue suggests.

Fault: The lower back rounds as you lower. Fix: Hinge at the hip and let your rear leg and torso move as one long lever; your back should stay neutral from your neck to your tailbone.

Fault: You lose balance and step down between every rep. Fix: Reset at the top, move slower, and use a fingertip touch on a rack or wall until you can control the full range without support.