Don't let the name put you off. The single-leg Romanian deadlift sounds technical, but it's one of the most efficient exercises you can add to your routine, whether you've never touched a weight in your life or you're already a regular at the gym. One movement, multiple muscle groups, and a serious challenge to your balance and coordination all at once.
Why It's Worth Your Time
Multiple muscles in one go: hamstrings and glutes are the primary movers, with your core, back, calves, and ankles all working hard, and your quads stepping up as stabilisers throughout. The definition of efficient.
Unilateral training: working one side at a time exposes and corrects strength imbalances between your left and right side. Most people have one, whether they know it or not.
Balance and brain work: balancing on a single leg means your stabilising muscles and nervous system are constantly communicating and coordinating. That's functional fitness at its best.
Joint resilience: strengthening your knees, hips, ankles, back, and core together reduces injury risk in the movements you do every day.
The golden rules before you start:
Keep your hips square and level throughout the hinge (no rotating or opening to the side).
Always maintain a soft, slightly bent knee on your standing leg to protect the joint.
Beginner: 2 sets of 8–12 reps
Stand tall, chest up, with a soft bend in your anchor (standing) knee.
Hinge forward at the hips, letting your chest drop toward the floor while your non-anchor leg floats back behind you. Think seesaw - chest down, leg up.
Lower only until your back foot is a few inches off the floor and you feel tension building in your hamstrings and glutes.
Pause, then squeeze your glute and drive your hips back to standing.
Complete all reps on one side before switching.
Intermediate: 2 sets of 10–12 reps
Now we deepen the hinge and increase muscle recruitment. Grab two foam blocks, books, or pillows - anything stable - and place them slightly in front and either side of your anchor foot.
Begin the hinge as before - hips square, flat back, back leg extending.
Deepen your knee bend slightly as you lower your hands toward the blocks.
Important: if you feel tension in your lower back, you've gone too low. Raise the blocks and reduce your depth.
Pause at the bottom to feel the deeper stretch and find your balance.
Exhale, squeeze your glutes, and drive your hips forward to return to standing.
Advanced: 2 sets of 10–12 reps
Time to add load. Grab a dumbbell or kettlebell and hold it in the hand on the same side as your anchor leg - this ipsilateral loading significantly increases the demand on your lateral core, making this variation considerably more challenging than it looks.
Choose a weight that's challenging but fully controllable. If the weight is pulling you toward the floor faster than your muscles can manage, go lighter and build up.
Hinge forward as before, lowering the weight toward the floor as your back leg extends.
Pause when you feel the tension in your hamstrings and glutes, then exhale and drive back to standing.
Depth is less important here than control- only go as low as you can manage without compensation. Build depth over time.
Three Things to Keep in Mind
Control over speed. Moving too fast means momentum is doing the work, not your muscles. Slow it down - the exercise only works if you do.
Protect your lower back. If your lower back is taking over, it usually means your hamstrings aren't engaging properly, you've gone too deep too soon, the weight has drifted too far forward, or your core isn't braced. Address the cause, don't push through it.
Let your hamstrings set the depth. Lower until you feel a strong stretch in the backs of your legs - that's your personal range of motion. Some people will get close to the floor; others won't, and that's completely fine. Pushing past your hamstring flexibility is how lower back injuries happen.
Give it a go. 🧦💪
Be inquisitive, be safe, and keep living the good life.
Sasha
Full Disclosure: I'm writing this as myself, not as a doctor or your personal trainer. This content is purely educational or my personal thoughts - not in place of medical or health professional advice or treatment. While I’m a Certified Personal Trainer, I’m not a healthcare provider. Seek advice from your health care practitioner before starting physical activity or making serious changes to your health. If you experience any pain or discomfort when participating in the activities, immediately stop and reach out to your health care professional. Please use at your own risk and proceed with caution.