Legs
Kickstand RDL
A unilateral hinge variation that isolates the hamstrings with the added stability of a kickstand support leg.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a barbell against your thighs with an overhand grip.
Place the toes of your non-working foot approximately six inches behind your lead heel, using it only for balance like a kickstand.
Shift roughly eighty percent of your body weight onto the front foot while maintaining a soft bend in that knee.
Hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes backward and lowering the barbell along the line of your front shin.
Stop the descent once you feel a deep stretch in the front hamstring or when your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
Drive through the heel of the front foot to extend your hips and return to a full standing position.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Distributing too much weight onto the rear balancing foot
- Rounding the lower back instead of maintaining a neutral spine
- Allowing the barbell to drift away from the body during the descent
- Hyperextending the lower back at the top of the movement
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.