27 Feb The One-Leg Romanian Deadlift: Building Stability From the Ground Up
Article Rundown
- Builds single-leg balance and rooting through the floor
- Reinforces hip hinge without spinal movement
- Strengthens hamstrings and glutes unilaterally
- Direct carryover to squat and deadlift stability
Building Stability From the Ground Up
One of the most underrated movements I use with lifters is the one-leg Romanian deadlift. Some people call it a one-leg morning. Some just say single-leg RDL. I don’t really care what you call it. What matters is why we use it and how it carries over to the squat and deadlift.
This exercise builds directly on the concept of rooting into the floor. If you don’t own the ground first, everything above it becomes compensation.
Locking In Before You Move
Before we ever think about hinging, we have to get rigid.
I want you to be posted down into the floor. Grip the ground with your foot. Externally rotate. Squeeze the glute. Brace the abdominals. Think stiff and locked in, not loose and floppy. You should feel like a solid pillar before anything moves.
Only once that position is established do we start to “unleash” the hips.
Opposite Hand to Foot: Let the Hips Do the Work
From that locked-in position, the movement is simple. Stand on one leg and reach the opposite hand toward the planted foot. If you’re on your left leg, the right hand reaches down. If you’re on your right leg, the left hand reaches.
You’re not trying to touch the weight to the floor. You’re not chasing range of motion. You’re simply allowing the hips to hinge while everything else stays rigid.
Down under control. Back up under control. The hips move. The spine stays stable.
Start Unweighted, Then Earn the Load
This is a progression, not an ego lift.
I always start people unweighted. Sets of five reps are plenty. Once you can stay clean, balanced, and controlled, then you can start adding load little by little. A light kettlebell or dumbbell is more than enough at first.
Interestingly, some lifters actually feel better once weight is added because it gives them something to counterbalance against. Others feel worse. That’s normal. Everyone’s built differently.
Addressing Wobble, Ankles, and Hypermobility
If you have hypermobile ankles or tend to rock side to side, this movement exposes it fast. That’s not a bad thing. It just means we need to lock you in harder and build stiffness over time.
Balance will improve. Control will improve. But it doesn’t happen overnight. A lot of things that help you long-term don’t feel great on day one.
When you switch sides, expect the first rep to feel awkward. You’ve spent years compensating one way. That’s just your nervous system catching up.
Why This Carries Over to the Squat and Deadlift
This drill does a few big things at once.
It teaches unilateral balance and foot pressure. It reinforces hip hinging without spinal motion. It lights up the hamstrings and glutes in a very honest way.
All of that pays off when you get back under the bar. Better balance, better control out of the hole, and better posterior chain engagement when pulling.
Where to Program It
I like this movement most on deadlift days.
Pull your main deadlifts first. Then your rows, chains, or hip thrusts. After that, this fits nicely as a lighter assistance movement. It can also work as a warm-up if you’re feeling tight, but don’t expect to move huge weight with it.
Think of it as teaching the body how to move well, not testing how strong you are.
When you own this movement, your squat and deadlift will thank you.
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