How to do a Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift
Workouts with Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
This exercise is a variation on the more common deadlift. By performing this exercise with a single leg, and hold the weight in one hand, you drastically increase the need to stabilize your torso. Additionally this exercise is great for identifying and addressing imbalances between sides.
- Stand upright with your feet close together. With your left hand, grasp the kettlebell and position it in front of your left leg.
- Brace your core to keep your spine in a neutral position throughout the exercise.
- Begin to hinge at your hips while extending and elevating your left leg behind you. There should be a slight flexion in your right knee as you hinge, but it should remain stationary.
- Continue to hinge until you are no longer able to maintain a neutral spine before extending your hips and lowering the left leg to the starting position.
- Repeat with the opposite side.
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Alternative Exercises to Single Leg Kettlebell Deadlift
1. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
97.6 mSCORESWAPPED 774 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on Romanian Deadlifts. Like other Romanian Deadlifts, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your hamstrings and glutes. The use of dumbbells can help with some limitations in mobility, and is a great starting point for anyone working towards performing Deadlifts or Romanian Deadlifts with a barbell.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
2. Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
80.8 mSCORESWAPPED 523 TIMESSingle Leg Romanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Romanian Deadlift. Like other Romanian Deadlift variations, this is a compound movement that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. Performing this exercise on one leg, is a great way to identify, and help address, discrepancies in mobility, strength, and stability between sides. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to improve their ability to perform a large number of other compound lower body movements like Squats, Lunges, or even Olympic lifts.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells
3. Kettlebell Swing
87.3 mSCORESWAPPED 369 TIMESKettlebell Swing is a compound, explosive movement that primarily targets the hamstrings and glutes. This is a great exercise for improving power and explosiveness. It's especially helpful in developing glute drive which can help improve a number of different exercises, and sport performance.
- Intermediate
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4. Kettlebell Sumo Squat
87.3 mSCORESWAPPED 354 TIMESKettlebell Sumo Squat is a squat variation. Like other squat variations, this exercise is a compound movement that targets the hamstrings, glutes and quads. Positioning your feet wider than you would for a standard squat helps to recruit the inner thigh, as well as help individuals with mobility limitations.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
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5. Seated Leg Curl
98.8 mSCORESWAPPED 290 TIMESSeated Leg Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. Because a vast majority of lower body exercises tend to be compound movements, this exercise is a great way to isolate the hamstrings for building muscle mass, and developing strength. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability, allowing you to focus on exertion more than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
6. Lying Hamstrings Curl
95.8 mSCORESWAPPED 200 TIMESLying Hamstring Curl is a weighted, isolation exercise that targets the hamstrings. There’s a relatively short list of isolation exercises for lower body muscle groups. Because of this, this is a great addition to a lower body workout in order to build strength and muscle mass in the hamstrings specifically. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Leg Curl Machine
7. Single Arm Kettlebell Deadlift
37.9 mSCORESWAPPED 189 TIMESA unilateral variation of the deadlift focusing on strength and stability. Holding the kettlebell in on hand add some instability to the movement, and increases the demand for core in order to stabilize your upper body. This exercise targets the posterior chain, particularly the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Kettlebells
8. Deadlift
98.7 mSCORESWAPPED 161 TIMESDeadlift is one of the three powerlifting movements. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets muscles in the rear chain (backside of the body), and is great for developing strength in these muscles. It’s a staple in most programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking strength.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
9. Romanian Deadlift
98.6 mSCORESWAPPED 159 TIMESRomanian Deadlift is a variation on the more standard Deadlift. It’s a compound exercise that primarily targets your glutes, and hamstrings. Unlike the standard Deadlift, this variation focuses mostly on driving your hips forward to raise the weight, and restricts movement in your knees. This is a great exercise for building strength, and can translate well to other exercises that utilize a hip hinge.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
- Barbells
10. Dumbbell Good Morning
63.8 mSCORESWAPPED 147 TIMESThe Dumbbell Good Morning is a strength exercise that focuses on the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Holding a dumbbell at chest level or placing two dumbbells on the shoulders, you hinge at the hips and lean forward with a straight back, then return to the starting position. This movement emphasizes hip mobility and back strength, improving posture and stability. It's a versatile exercise suitable for all fitness levels, offering a low-impact alternative to enhance lower back and hamstring flexibility and strength.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- Dumbbells