TDAE Fitness Blog

MASTER THE 1-LEG RDL

Written by Matthew Ibrahim | May 28, 2019 12:26:00 PM

The goal of this article is to serve as a complete 1-Leg RDL exercise progression guide, action-packed with 4 sections and 16 exercises in total. The 1-Leg RDL exercise can be a tricky one for most folks. This guide is meant to be simple and user-friendly.

Ultimately, we want to master the skill of hip hinging. Consider hinging at the hips akin to shifting your weight back behind you, as if upon an imaginary horizontal line at the waist (as opposed to bending a lot at the knees like you would in a squat pattern).

When executed properly, you'll feel the posterior chain (i.e., hamstrings and glutes) working. Essentially, this is a hip hinge.

Section 1

Target focus: build the bilateral (2-leg) hip hinge pattern and then load it with DB's.

1. MB Wall Hip Hinge

2. Cable Pull Through

3. DB Neutral Grip RDL

4. DB RDL


Section 2

Target focus: groove the “pseudo” unilateral (partially 1-leg) hip hinge pattern, otherwise known as "Kickstand", and then load it with DB's.

1. MB Wall Kickstand Hip Hinge

2. MB Band Kickstand Hip Hinge

3. DB Neutral Grip Kickstand RDL

4. DB Kickstand RDL


Section 3

Target focus: build the unilateral (1-leg) hip hinge pattern with a variety of low level loading in the form of MB's, cable resistance and resistance bands.

1. MB 1-Leg RDL

2. Cable 2-Arm 1-Leg RDL

3. Cable 1-Arm 1-Leg RDL

4. PVC Band 1-Leg RDL


Section 4

Target focus: continue building the unilateral (1-leg) hip hinge pattern and now load it with heavier resistance in the form of DB's, KB's and barbells.

1. DB 1-Leg RDL (2 DB’s)

2. KB 1-Leg RDL

3. KB Tempo 1-Leg RDL (Tempo: 3-Sec, 3-Sec, 3-Sec)

4. Barbell 1-Leg RDL


Looking for more training tips to master your movements? Check us out for in-person trainingt our state-of-the-art facility in Salem, MA or look into our online training program.

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Matthew Ibrahim is the Co-Owner & Lead Performance Coach of TD Athletes Edge. He has been an invited guest speaker nationally in over 10 U.S. states, which was highlighted by his presentations at Google Headquarters and Stanford University, in addition to guest speaking internationally in Milan, Italy. His work has been featured in Men’s Fitness, STACK Media and The PTDC. Currently, he is completing his masters degree at Rocky Mountain University with a direct track into their PhD program. He is a big fan of interacting on Instagram and regularly posts about training, performance and recovery.

Follow along here: https://www.instagram.com/matthewibrahim_/