How to Do a Single-Leg Deadlift

Here’s your guide to the single-leg deadlift, including how to do it properly.

What is the single-leg deadlift?

The single-leg deadlift is just what it sounds like: a deadlift performed with one leg at a time. The non-working leg is lifted behind you for balance, so you end up in a kind of Warrior 3 pose. You can do it with just your body weight, or you can hold a weight in one or both hands and lower it along the standing leg.

Difference Between RDL and Single-Leg Deadlift

Peloton trainer Jess Sims says Romanian deadlifts (aka RDL) are bilateral, meaning they work both legs at once. Single-leg deadlifts, on the other hand, are naturally done with one leg. You may be able to lift heavier with RDLs than with single-leg deadlifts because they don’t have a balance component, Archambault says. However, the lack of a balance challenge means RDLs don’t work your foot, ankle, and hip stabilizers as much as single-leg deadlifts.

Single-Leg Deadlift vs. Staggered Deadlift

The staggered deadlift (aka split-stance or standing deadlift) is when you place the majority of your weight on one leg, but place your other foot on the ground behind you for balance. It’s a great modification of the single-leg deadlift; there’s less of a balance challenge, but you still work your leg and core muscles in a similar way. “The staggered deadlift requires you to balance while performing the movement, so your core muscles are more engaged, [just like] in a single-leg deadlift,” Jess says.

Muscles Targeted by the Single-Leg Deadlift

“The single-leg deadlift primarily works your hamstrings and glutes, but also your ankles and calves because you need to stabilize your body during the movement,” says Jess. Your core, back extensors, and hip stabilizers are also key players, Archambault says, especially the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, which are two gluteal muscles on the sides of the hip. “They all work to stabilize the pelvis and keep the knee in place,” Archambault says. Studies show that single-leg deadlifts are particularly effective at activating the biceps femoris (hamstring muscle) and gluteus medius compared to regular deadlifts.

Benefits of the Single-Leg Deadlift

The single-leg deadlift may seem like a move for advanced athletes, but it trains an important skill for anyone who wants to perform well in life. “Single-leg deadlifts are great for the general population to work on their balance and picking objects off the floor,” says Archambault. Because they strengthen the stabilizer muscles in the foot, ankle, and hip, she often uses them with clients who are recovering from foot, ankle, knee, and hip injuries.

They’re valuable because they’re a unilateral exercise, meaning they work only one side of the body at a time. Unilateral exercises are important to include in your routine because they can expose your weaknesses and where your body may be overcompensating—that is, “your stronger side is basically making up for your weaker side, which then often overworks and becomes prone to injury,” Jesse explains.

Runners, in particular, can benefit from incorporating single-leg deadlifts into their routine. “When you run, you never use both legs at the same time, so it’s important to work each leg separately,” Jesse says. The same should be true for anyone who plays a sport that requires one leg, from soccer to pickleball to skiing, Archambault says.