Kettlebell One-Legged DeadliftMuscles Worked
The kettlebell single-leg deadlift works the hamstrings of your standing leg most, with your glutes controlling your hip and your lower back holding your spine flat. Balancing on one leg also trains stability and makes strength differences between sides easy to spot.
PrimaryHamstrings
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Level
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
- Force
- Pull
How to do it
- Hold a kettlebell in one hand and stand on the leg on that same side, with a slight bend in the knee.
- Brace your core and shift your weight into the middle of your standing foot.
- Hinge at your hip, letting the kettlebell lower toward the floor as your free leg reaches straight back.
- Keep your back flat and your hips level as you lower, until your torso is close to parallel with the floor or you feel a deep stretch.
- Drive your hip forward to stand tall again, bringing your free leg back under you, and finish the set before switching sides.
Form tips
- Keep your hips square to the floor, since the free leg's hip tends to open up toward the ceiling.
- Think of your body as a seesaw, with your chest going down as your back leg rises in one straight line.
- Lightly touch a wall or bench with your free hand while you learn the balance.
Why it made the list
No. 9 of 12
Best Hamstring Exercises
Single-leg kettlebell deadlift builds hamstring strength and balance. Addresses left/right imbalances.
More hamstring exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Kettlebell One-Legged Deadlift sets in KasMaker and watch your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
