1 leg Deadlift

Hello one and all, I trust you are all doing well, and trying hard to follow the advice of my previous post.  Well if you are or aren't I hope you are finding some time to make it to the gym through this period of celebration.  Now, there are about 1,238,290,343,920 known exercises which is a lot, some good, some great, and some are a total waste of time. 

Today I'd like to take a quick look at the one legged deadlift.  If you are one of my clients (hi clients!!!) first of all thanks for reading this, and second you know exactly what the one legged deadlift is.  I have my clients do this exercise ALL THE TIME!!! Some of them are probably sick of it, well this just in, its a great exercise and not going to leave my repetoire any time soon, so get used to it. 

The one legged deadlift is obviously a member of the deadlift family, which if you've followed this blog at all you'll know that I think very highly of the deadlift.  The one legged deadlift is exactly what it sounds like, a deadlift but while only standing on one leg.

BENEFITS OF THE SINGLE LEG DEAD

The single leg deadlift, like other single leg exercises doesn't allow one side to work harder than the other, which can happen from time to time when doing exercises on 2 legs.  Each leg has to lift the weight independently with this version.  Single leg exercises prevent and help fix muscle imbalances where one leg is stronger than the other.  A significant difference in leg strength can potentially lead to injuries and further dependence on the dominant leg.  Also single leg deadlift works a lot on balance.  Any exercise on one leg is going to challenge your balance, and especially this one as you move through the motion.  Balance training is a big part of overall fitness.  

TARGET AREAS

The glute of the standing leg is the primary muscle working here, but you will also receive benefits in the standing hamstring, you will get a stretch on the hamstring of the leg in the air, and the lower part of the standing leg will do tons of work during the balance part, all of your little peronious muscles, and tibialis muscles will be working hard to keep you from falling down.  The abs, and obliques will lend a hand as they assist in the stabilization of your body, in fact you may even recruit some low back muscles for stabilizational purposes.  The glute and hamstring of the raised leg will also be working in order to keep that leg HIGH in the air. 

EXERCISE TECHNIQUE

This exercise can be done with dumbells or a barbell.  If with a barbell you will hold it with both hands about shoulders width apart standing on one leg you will lean forward at the waist keeping a straight line from your head to your toe raising one leg higher as you lean more and more forward, when you are as low as you can go, or about parallel to the floor return to your starting standing point, but try not to touch your foot to the ground, then repeat.  If you are using a dumbell (just one) hold it in the hand on the same side of your body as the leg you'll be raising.  If using 2 dumbells follow the barbell instructions.  I have included some pictures so you can understand the movement.  Enjoy!!!

Until next time my friends, embrace the burn!