Exercise Review: Single Leg Deadlift

For a lot of people, simply hearing the word DEADLIFT sends chills up their spine. It's often looked at as a power-lifter's exercise and one that "normal" people don't do. Well....I'd like to challenge that thinking for a moment. Deadlifting is a terrific lower body exercise that targets your hamstrings and glutes...two areas almost everyone would like to improve on. What I'd like to do right now is look at a variation of a standard deadlift called the Single Leg Deadlift which can be done using just your body weight or with a kettlebell or dumbbells.

By doing the exercise one leg at a time, you're not only going to feel the burn in your hamstrings and glutes, but you're also going to work on your balance/stability as well as your core. Putting your body in an unbalanced state forces your core to work throughout the duration of the exercise to maintain your stability and posture.

So, let's get on to the actual mechanics of the exercise. First of all, the fundamentals of a deadlift remain the same....the leg you are working should have just a slight bend in the knee and your back should be at extension, meaning there is a noticeable/natural arch in your lower back, and your shoulder blades are pulled back. Maintaining this position is crucial so as to keep the stress of the lift off your back and on your legs where it belongs. To perform the exercise slowly bend at the waist and reach both hands toward the toe of the leg remaining on the ground. Push your hips back and allow the "off" leg to swing back in a slow/controlled motion. You should feel a noticeable stretch in your hamstrings as you go down. Be sure to keep that back at extension! Now, drive your heel into the ground and push your hips forward to bring yourself back to an upright position.

Perform several repetitions without any additional weight to be sure you have the mechanics down. Once you feel comfortable with the movement you can begin adding weight. Using two dumbbells, one in each hand, will help you keep your body more balanced. The more advanced variation of the lift is to use a kettlebell in just one hand (the one opposite the leg being worked). This will put your body in an unbalanced situation forcing your core to activate like we discussed earlier. Like any lift, add weight as you get stronger and feel more comfortable with the maneuver but ALWAYS maintain proper form! Rounding your back is the most common error when deadlifting and can lead to a very sore lower back the next day.

Give it a try and be ready to feel the burn in your hamstrings and glutes the next day! Good luck!