Bodyweight Single Leg RDL
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Hips
- Type
- Strength
The bodyweight single leg RDL is a unilateral hip-hinge exercise that trains the hamstrings and glutes of the standing leg while heavily challenging balance and stability through the hips, ankle, and core. Using only your body weight, it builds posterior-chain strength, single-leg control, and balance, making it a useful warm-up or accessory movement that needs no equipment.
How to do the Bodyweight Single Leg RDL
- 1Stand tall on one leg with a soft bend in the standing knee, arms relaxed at your sides and your weight centered over the middle of your foot.
- 2Brace your core and set your shoulder blades back, keeping a flat, neutral spine from head to hips.
- 3Hinge forward at the hip of your standing leg, sending your hips backward as your torso lowers toward the floor.
- 4Let your non-standing leg extend straight back behind you, keeping it in line with your torso so your body forms one long line.
- 5Lower until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor or you feel a strong stretch in the hamstring of the standing leg, keeping your hips level.
- 6Drive through the standing foot and squeeze your glute to reverse the hinge, bringing your torso and back leg back to upright.
- 7Finish standing tall with control, then complete your reps and switch to the other leg.
Form tips
- Move slowly and under control — balance is the main challenge, so quality of motion matters more than speed or range.
- Keep your hips square to the floor; imagine your back pocket pointing straight down rather than rotating open.
- Fix your eyes on a spot a few feet ahead on the floor to steady your balance through each rep.
- Push the foot of your back leg toward the wall behind you to lengthen the movement and keep your spine neutral.
- If you wobble, lightly touch a wall or rail with one hand until your single-leg stability improves.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back instead of hinging at the hip, which shifts load off the hamstrings and strains the spine.
- Bending the standing knee too much so the movement becomes a squat, which removes tension from the hamstrings and glutes.
- Letting the hips rotate open toward the lifted leg, which breaks the straight-line position and reduces glute engagement.
- Rushing the reps and using momentum to bounce up, which kills balance and the stretch that drives posterior-chain work.
- Lowering past a flat-back position just to touch the floor, which collapses the spine and loses hamstring tension.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the bodyweight single leg RDL work?
It mainly works the hamstrings and glutes of the standing leg through the hip hinge, while the core, hips, and ankle stabilizers fire hard to keep you balanced on one leg.
Is the bodyweight single leg RDL good for beginners?
Yes. Because it uses only your body weight, it is a good way to learn the hip hinge and build single-leg balance. Beginners can hold a wall or rail for support and lower only as far as they can keep a flat back.
How do I keep my balance during the single leg RDL?
Keep a soft bend in the standing knee, brace your core, and fix your eyes on a spot on the floor a few feet ahead. Move slowly and keep your hips level; lightly touching a wall can help until your stability improves.
How many sets and reps should I do?
For a bodyweight version, 2–4 sets of 8–12 controlled reps per leg works well as a warm-up or accessory. Stop the set when your balance or back position starts to break down.
What's a good progression from the bodyweight single leg RDL?
Once you can control the bodyweight version, add load by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell to perform a weighted single-leg Romanian deadlift, keeping the same hip-hinge mechanics.
