How to Do the Split Stance Romanian Deadlift
Learn the proper form for the split stance RDL. Improve hamstring strength, hip stability, and balance with this unilateral hinge guide.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides with a neutral grip.
- Take a small step back with one foot, resting only the ball of that foot on the floor to act as a kickstand.
- Shift approximately eighty percent of your body weight onto the front foot while maintain a slight bend in the front knee.
- Hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes backward and lowering the weights toward the mid-shin of your lead leg.
- Maintain a flat back and keep the dumbbells close to your body throughout the entire descent.
- Pause when you feel a significant stretch in the front hamstring, then drive through the front heel to return to standing.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top of the movement before beginning the next repetition on the same side.
Common Mistakes
- Placing too much weight on the back leg instead of the front working leg.
- Rounding the lower back while reaching for the floor.
- Bending the knee excessively into a lunge instead of performing a hinge.
- Allowing the dumbbells to drift away from the legs during the movement.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Hamstrings
Stabilizers
- Gluteus Maximus
- Erector Spinae
- Adductor Magnus
- Core
Related Guides
- 1 Leg Box Squat — Legs
- Abductor Machine — Legs
- Adductor Machine — Legs
Hamstrings · Legs