Legs · Barbell
Barbell Single Leg Deadlift
How to do the barbell single leg deadlift, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand on one leg holding a barbell in front of your thighs. Hinge at the hips, lowering the bar toward the ground while raising your back leg behind you, then drive through your standing heel to return upright.
- 1Stand on one leg and hinge at your hip, extending your other leg back as
- 2you lower the bar; you should feel your hamstrings and glutes on the standing leg
- 3Keep your hips level and your back flat, engaging your core for balance
- 4Drive through your heel to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top
Common mistakes
- Don't round your spine or let your shoulders slump forward
- Avoid letting your hips twist or your raised leg drop; keep them aligned
- Don't use a weight that compromises your balance or form
Muscles worked
The barbell single leg deadlift mainly works the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings, with the forearms, quads, upper traps, upper abs, and calves assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- ForearmsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- Upper TrapsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
Kovo programs the barbell single leg deadlift for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
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- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.