Barbell Single Leg Deadlift
Stand upright holding a barbell in front of your thighs with an overhand grip. Shift your weight onto one leg and lift the opposite foot slightly off the floor behind you. With a slight bend in the standing leg, hinge at the hips and lower your torso toward the ground while extending the non-working leg straight behind you for balance. Keep the barbell close to your standing leg, maintain a neutral spine, and lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to reverse the motion and return to standing. Repeat for the desired reps, then switch legs. Focus on controlled movement and balance throughout.
How to Do the Barbell Single Leg Deadlift
- Stand tall holding a barbell in front of your thighs with a double overhand grip, hands shoulder width apart.
- Shift your weight onto one foot and soften that knee slightly.
- Inhale, brace, and hinge at the hip, pushing your standing hip straight back as the free leg extends behind you.
- Lower the bar down the front of the standing leg, keeping it close to your body and your back flat.
- Stop when your torso is near parallel to the floor or when your hamstring reaches its stretch limit.
- Keep your hips square to the floor; do not let the free side hip rotate open.
- Exhale and drive through the standing foot, squeezing the glute to return to upright.
- Complete all reps on one leg before switching sides.
Common Mistakes
- Opening the hips: letting the trailing side hip rotate toward the ceiling shifts tension off the target glute and twists the spine; keep both hip bones pointing at the floor.
- Letting the bar drift away: a bar that swings forward multiplies leverage on the lower back; drag it lightly down the standing leg.
- Rounding the back to chase depth: range should come from the hamstring stretch, not spinal flexion; stop where your back stays flat.
- Rushing off balance: wobbling through fast reps trains nothing; slow down, own each position, and lightly tap the free toe down between reps if needed.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your barbell single leg deadlift sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.