Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)
The Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift with dumbbells is a unilateral lower-body exercise that builds balance and strengthens the posterior chain. It primarily targets the hamstrings and glutes while challenging core stability and coordination.
Since training each leg individually doubles the time requirement, Iridium checks your configured session duration to ensure this exercise fits without displacing primary lifts. The AI also evaluates your recovery scores based on sleep and recent workload, minimizing high-stability movements when your energy levels are insufficient for proper balance and execution.
Form Cues
- Keep your hips square to the floor throughout the movement
- Maintain a slight bend in the knee of your standing leg
- Hinge at the hips, pushing your glutes straight back
- Keep the dumbbells close to your standing leg
- Squeeze your glute to pull yourself back to standing
- Don't let your floating hip rotate open towards the ceiling
- Don't round your upper back or shoulders forward
- Don't lock out your standing knee completely
- Don't touch the floor with the weights if your back rounds
- Don't rush the descent; control the balance
Common Mistakes
- Rotating the pelvis open to maintain balance
- Rounding the lumbar spine to reach lower
- Turning the movement into a squat by bending the knee too much
- Looking straight ahead instead of keeping the neck neutral
- Using a weight that is too heavy to control
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily isolates the hamstrings and gluteus maximus through a deep weighted stretch, promoting hypertrophy and functional strength. Because it is performed on one leg, it also heavily recruits the gluteus medius and core stabilizers to prevent rotation and maintain upright balance.
Primary
Secondary
Get Personalized Coaching for Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (Dumbbell)
Don't guess your way through weights or workouts. Download Iridium for automatic, AI-powered coaching that adapts to your recovery and goals.