Skip to content
Gymlab
Create your personal plan

Strength Training

Barbell Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift

The barbell single-leg Romanian deadlift is a one-legged hip hinge that trains your glutes and hamstrings while challenging balance and hip control.

  • Intermediate
  • Compound
  • Moderate injury risk
  • Rest 1 min 30 sec

How to do it

  1. Stand tall with the barbell against your thighs, using an overhand grip just outside your legs.
  2. Balance on one foot with a slight bend in your standing knee.
  3. Hinge backward at your hips, tipping your torso forward with your free leg extending behind you until you feel tension in your standing-leg hamstrings.
  4. Return to standing by bringing your hips forward over your supporting foot.

Form cues

  • Point both hip bones toward the floor.
  • Keep your spine long.
  • Press your whole foot into the floor.
  • Brace your belly before each rep.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the bar drift forwardKeep the bar close to your standing leg throughout the movement.
  • Turning the hinge into a squatMaintain roughly the same knee bend instead of bending deeper as you descend.
  • Chasing the floorEnd the descent at your controlled range rather than trying to touch the plates to the floor.
  • Leaning back at the topFinish upright without pushing your hips past your shoulders.

Safety

Losing balance can make the bar swing or pull you off your supporting foot. Excessive load or an uncontrolled descent can strain your lower back or hamstrings.

  • Begin with a light training bar before adding weight.
  • Keep the floor clear around you, including behind your extended leg.
  • Set your free foot down to regain balance rather than forcing a wobbling rep.
  • End the set when fatigue prevents a controlled lowering phase.

Choose a bodyweight or two-legged version if balance is limiting, and seek advice from a physiotherapist if you have ongoing back, hip, or hamstring pain.

Muscles worked

Front
Back

Primary muscles

  • Glutes
  • Hamstrings

Secondary muscles

  • Core
  • Foot & Ankle Stabilizers
  • Lower Back

Equipment

  • Barbell

Sets and reps

Sets
2–3
Target
6–10 reps per leg
Rest
1 min 30 sec

Start with your less steady leg and match its reps on the other side.

Variations

Easier