Kettlebell Single-Leg Deadlift
The kettlebell single-leg Romanian deadlift is a hip hinge on one leg with a kettlebell in your hand, while the free leg extends behind you. It works the hamstrings and glutes of the standing leg and trains balance and hip control on one leg.
Also called: KB Single Leg Deadlift, Single-Leg Hip Hinge, KB Single-Leg RDL, Kettlebell SLDL · Equipment: kettlebell · Pattern: hinge
Step by step
- Stand on one leg with a soft bend in the knee, holding a kettlebell in the opposite hand with your arm straight.
- Brace your trunk, pull your shoulders back and fix your eyes on a spot on the floor a couple of metres ahead.
- Push your hips back and tip your chest forward, letting your free leg extend straight behind you as a counterbalance.
- Keep your hips square to the floor and the toes of your free leg pointing down, with your back flat.
- Go down until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstring of your standing leg, usually with the bell around shin height.
- Drive your standing hip forward and squeeze your glute to return to standing, bringing your free leg back under you.
- Complete your reps, then switch the bell to the other hand and repeat on the other leg.
- Hips back, chest and back leg move together
- Hips square to the floor
- Back toes point at the floor
- Soft knee on the standing leg
- Eyes on one spot ahead
- Squeeze the standing glute to stand tall
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Hamstrings: biceps femoris (long head) | Prime mover | B |
| Gluteus maximus | Prime mover | B |
| Hamstrings: semimembranosus | Prime mover | B |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | C |
| Adductors | Stabiliser | C |
| Obliques (internal/external) | Stabiliser | C |
| Gluteus medius/minimus | Dynamic stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Hips rotating open
Fix: Point the back toes at the floor and keep both hips level.
Rounding the back to reach the floor
Fix: Go only as far as a flat back allows; the bell does not need to touch the floor.
Squatting on the standing leg
Fix: Keep the same soft knee bend and move by pushing your hips back.
Free leg dropping
Fix: Keep a straight line from your head to your back heel as you tip forward.
Bell drifting away from the body
Fix: Keep the bell hanging straight down, close to your standing leg.
Rushing the rep
Fix: Move slowly and pause briefly at the bottom before standing.
What the research says
Rehab & prehab · first choiceSport performance · first choiceMuscle growthGeneral fitnessEnduranceFat loss & conditioning
- One leg versus two — A meta-analysis found single-leg training improved single-leg jumping more, while two-leg training improved two-leg strength more. There was no clear difference for change of direction or sprint speed.
- Muscle activity — An EMG study of 12 exercises found the single-leg deadlift among the highest for glute activity, with high activity in the gluteus medius too. This measured activity, not growth.
- The stretched position — A trial of hamstring curls found more hamstring growth when training at longer muscle lengths, which the bottom of this hinge provides.
- Load and balance — There is no research on loading this exercise. Balance usually limits the weight before the hamstrings do, and a common approach is to add load only while the hips stay square and the back stays flat.
Swap it mid-workout
- Kettlebell Single-Arm Swing
- Cable Pull Through
- Clean Pull
- Conventional Deadlift
- Deficit Deadlift
- Dumbbell Deadlift
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the kettlebell single-leg deadlift in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.