Improve your single-leg strength, boost your balance, and (of course) build better glutes and hamstrings. How? With one exercise. This one:
Regular single-leg deadlifts are a great option if you're looking to build strength, stability, and a bulletproof lower body. The trouble is, your lack of balance can get in the way. And, while practicing on one leg without support is important to get better, it's not doing much for your pancake butt or weak hamstrings in the meantime.
Doing single-leg deadlifts with support allows you to improve strength and stability one leg at a time, without getting too wobbly. This can either help you build up to the more unstable stuff over time – if that's a route that fits your goals – or you can just stick with the partial support to build better glutes and hamstrings. Tight single-leg deadlifts meet in the middle, pleasing both the "functional" camp and hardcore meatheads alike.
Keeping the dumbbell in close and on the grounded-leg side (ipsilateral) make these deadlifts back-friendly while emphasizing the glutes and hamstrings of your lead leg even more. Tight single-leg deadlifts are somewhat of a hybrid between a single-leg Romanian deadlift and a skater squat, with the backside-building benefits of both.
Sets and reps depend on your goals and phase of training. Broadly, start with 3 sets of 8-12 on each leg, and don't be afraid to go heavy. Your balance won't be holding you back!
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