Proclaimed by many to be the KING of all exercises, the deadlift is a staple in most training programs.
The simplicity of picking heavy ass weight off the ground is both invigorating and primal. Only a few things in life can match the feeling of standing up with a shit ton of weight in your hands.
Well…as long as you do so without compromising your precious lumbar spine.
In this installment of our YouTube series, More Than Meat and Potatoes, we discuss the QUEEN to those deadlifts – THE SINGLE LEG DEADLIFT.
AKA the One Leg Romanian Deadlift.
Or SLDL.
Whatever you call it, the single leg variation of the deadlift is an direct way to hit your hamstrings and glutes to make them stronger and look better.
Why the SLDL?
Since this particular exercise is only using a single limb at a time, you will not be able to use as much load. This is a good thing. Without as much weight, you can spare your spine and allow your body the ability to recover with more ease. The best part? Your body will still be challenged and have to respond to the training demands you are placing on it.
Unfortunately, most individuals do not execute this movement as effective as possible.
The biggest flaw we come across is allowing the HIPS TO OPEN as you hip hinge in the single leg position.
What we want is for the HIPS TO STAY PARALLEL to the floor throughout the entire range of motion.
The reason why the hips will want to open is for 3 reasons:
- VALGUS COLLAPSE. Your glute does not want to get in on the action. The knee collapses inwards causing your hip opposite of the planted foot to open up.
- INABILITY TO SEPARATE. Your body does not have the ability to separate limbs. This may be a result of hamstring tightness, core activation and sequences, or both.
- PROPRIOCEPTION. Balance is a huge component of crushing this exercise. You will want your feet to resemble a tripod from your big toe to your heel to your pink toe.
Before implementing the SLDL into your program, insert these drills to address your Toe Touch and Leg Separation.
ASSISTED LEG LOWERS.
BIRD DOGS.
UNASSISTED LEG LOWERS.
Then let’s get you off the ground and start adding some ham to those strings. We address the first issue above in depth in this episode.
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