Legs · Smith Machine
Smith Single Leg Deadlift
How to do the smith single leg deadlift, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Smith Machine
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set the Smith bar low and stand on one leg with the bar in front of you, gripping it on the path of travel. Hinge at your hips and lower the bar as you raise your back leg behind you, then drive through your heel to stand and squeeze your glute. Finish your reps and switch legs.
- 1Feel your hamstring and glute on the standing leg as you hinge
- 2Keep your hips level and your back flat throughout
- 3Drive through your heel and squeeze your glute at the top
Common mistakes
- Don't round your spine or slump your shoulders forward
- Avoid letting your hips twist or your back leg drift out of line
- Don't rely on the bar to pull yourself upright
Muscles worked
The smith 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 smith 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
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- 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.