One of the major movement patterns all cyclists should master—and one that people tend to have trouble executing correctly—is the hinge. That’s the movement you perform while doing deadlifts, including the more advanced single-leg deadlift.
Unlike a quad-dominant squat, which is more about bending the knees and sitting in a chair, hip-dominant deadlift exercises involve pushing the hips back, allowing the torso to come forward, and firing up the glutes, as well as the hamstrings.
The benefits of a regular deadlift include building up your glute and hamstring strength, as well as strengthening the back and the abs. The single-leg deadlift takes those advantages to the next level, while also adding a stability challenge, firing up more muscles of the legs and working the core even more. It also tests your balance.
The key to making the single-leg deadlift work to your advantage: performing it correctly. Here’s how to make that happen—plus how to add it to your workout, and why you’ll want to do so.
How to do the single-leg deadlift correctly
Kristine Zabala, personal trainer and fitness instructor at Barry’s and Solidcore, offers tips for how to do a single-leg deadlift, the right way. She also demonstrates the move so you can mimic proper form.
- Start standing with feet hip-width apart.
- Shift weight to the right leg and drive the right heel firmly into the ground. Tap the left toes slightly behind you.
- Thinking of your body as a long straight line from the top of the head through the left toes, hinge at the hips by sending the butt straight back and keeping the shoulders down and back. Allow the left leg to lift behind you and maintain just a slight bend in the right knee.
- Lower until you feel tension in the right hamstring or until you’re about parallel to the floor.
- Then, drive through right foot to stand back up, extending hips.
- Repeat. Then switch sides.
Are there mistakes people make when doing the single-leg deadlift?
Because the move is challenging and requires you to first master a two-footed deadlift, there are some key form tips to keep in mind. For starters, keep that core tight. Sometimes people will fold forward at the waist, rather than thinking about sending the hips back and imaging that long line from head to toes, Zabala says.
Maintaining good posture also requires you to keep the shoulders pulled down and back, so you’re not rounding the upper spine. It also means you want to keep your head looking down and out, rather than up in front of you, which can put pressure on the neck, Zabala says.
Also, keep both hips square to the ground, Zabala adds. Sometimes, the hips (or even the shoulders) stack on top of each other, as you open up to the side of the lifting leg, which works different muscles and can put pressure in the low spine.
Keep in mind, if you feel yourself falling forward or losing balance, you don’t have to get your torso all the way parallel to the floor. Start by keeping the movement smaller, and build from there as you improve your strength and stability.
What are the benefits of the single-leg deadlift for cyclists?
The best pay-off of the single-leg deadlift: It works your posterior chain, or the back of the body, Zabala says. Cycling is a very forward-leaning activity that often turns up the burn in the quads. To balance that out, we need to do exercises that strengthen the glutes and hamstrings, as the single-leg deadlift does.
Strengthening the glutes and hamstrings with this move can also help with a more powerful, smooth pedal stroke, Zabala points out, allowing you to ride faster and stronger.
Also, thanks to the stability and core challenge, the single-leg deadlift offers more balance and better bike handling in the saddle.
How do you modify or progress the single-leg deadlift?
Before you do the deadlift on a single-leg, make sure you have the movement down on two feet first. Then add a little support and when you’re ready, take it to the next level. To do that, Zabala offers four single-leg deadlift variations. Find the best one for you, add it to your lower-body or total-body workout, and aim for 5 to 10 reps and 2 to 4 sets. You can perform the single-leg deadlift two to three times a week.
1. Single-Leg Deadlift With Support
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold onto a tall foam roller, chair, table, or the wall with left hand. Shift weight to the right leg and drive the right heel firmly into the ground. Tap the left toes slightly behind you. Keeping body in one long straight line from the top of the head through the left toes, hinge at the hips by sending the butt straight back and keeping the shoulders down and back. Allow the left leg to lift behind you and maintain just a slight bend in the right knee. Lower as far as you can without losing balance. Then, drive through right foot to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat. Then switch sides.
2. Single-Leg Deadlift With a Glider
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Shift weight to the right leg and drive the right heel firmly into the ground. Place left toes on a glider. Keeping body in one long straight line from the top of the head through the left toes, hinge at the hips by sending the butt straight back and keeping the shoulders down and back, pushing the glider behind you. Allow the left leg to lift behind you and maintain just a slight bend in the right knee. Lower as far as you can without losing balance—keep the range of motion short as you build up strength and balance. Then, drive through right foot to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat. Then switch sides.
3. Single-Leg Deadlift With Dumbbell
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in left hand, down in front of you. Shift weight to the right leg and drive the right heel firmly into the ground. Tap the left toes slightly behind you. Keeping body in one long straight line from the top of the head through the left toes, hinge at the hips by sending the butt straight back and keeping the shoulders down and back. Allow the left leg to lift behind you and maintain just a slight bend in the right knee. Lower weight and torso toward the floor until you feel tension in the right hamstring or until you’re about parallel to the floor. Then, drive through right foot to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat. Then switch sides.
4. Single-Leg Deadlift With Double Dumbbells
Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, down in front of you. Shift weight to the right leg and drive the right heel firmly into the ground. Tap the left toes slightly behind you. Keeping body in one long straight line from the top of the head through the left toes, hinge at the hips by sending the butt straight back and keeping the shoulders down and back. Allow the left leg to lift behind you and maintain just a slight bend in the right knee. Lower weight and torso toward the floor until you feel tension in the right hamstring or until you’re about parallel to the floor. Then, drive through right foot to stand back up, extending hips. Repeat. Then switch sides.
Mallory Creveling, an ACE-certified personal trainer and RRCA-certified run coach, joined the Runner's World and Bicycling team in August 2021. She has more than a decade of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. As a freelance writer, her work appeared in Women's Health, Self, Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, and more. She has also held staff editorial positions at Family Circle and Shape magazines, as well as DailyBurn.com. A former New Yorker/Brooklynite, she's now based in Easton, PA.
