Fysiqal

Hip Hinge · Intermediate

Single-Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Compound hip hinge exercise using dumbbell.
Single-Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift demonstration (no audio).
Movement pattern
Hip Hinge
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Dumbbell
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Unilateral
Main plane
Sagittal

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How to do the Single-Leg Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Stand on one leg holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand (or both hands), slight bend in the standing knee.

  1. Hinge forward at the hip while letting the free leg extend straight back for counterbalance -- torso and back leg should move as one unit.

  2. Lower until you feel a real hamstring stretch on the standing leg, keeping hips roughly square to the floor (avoid rotating open).

  3. Reverse by driving the standing hip forward back to upright.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips rotate open toward the working side instead of staying square -- usually a sign of trying to reach further than current hamstring flexibility/balance actually allows.

  • Rushing the balance component, which turns this into a wobbly partial-range movement instead of a real hamstring/glute exercise.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Hip extensionprimary action

    Biceps femoris long head (prime mover, high emphasis); Semitendinosus (prime mover, high emphasis); Semimembranosus (prime mover, high emphasis); Gluteus maximus (prime mover, moderate emphasis); Adductor magnus (synergist, low emphasis)

  • Spine extensionsecondary action

    Erector spinae (stabilizer, high emphasis)

  • Hip adductionsecondary action · resisted

    Gluteus medius (stabilizer, high emphasis); Gluteus minimus (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Tensor fascia lata (stabilizer, moderate emphasis)

Related exercises

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From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.