Our body’s posterior chain, that is, the backside of our body consisting of calf muscles, hips, butt, lower back, hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles, compose a very significant part body. These parts allow us to conduct many activities, for instance, walking, running, lunging, etc. Moreover, it helps to maintain the balance and the posture of the body.
And therefore, we need to exercise these parts so that our body remains flexible continuously. Hence, here we will be describing an exercise that takes care of our posterior chain in its entirety- single leg deadlift. What’s more, it also helps to engage our core and obliques while exercising. Thus, this exercise is worth a shot.
What is a single leg deadlift?
Typically, it is an advanced deadlift that stretches and consequently strengthens the hips, lower back, legs, and hamstrings. Additionally, it also helps balance our posture as a major chunk of this exercise focuses on balancing your whole body weight on one leg.
Benefits of single-leg deadlift:
- It helps in strengthening the muscles in the front and back of the body.
- Stipulate balance in our body.
- Increases the strength of legs as it requires us to balance whole body weight on one leg.
- Aids in strengthening the core sling system.
- Provides improved mobility and better movement throughout the body.
- Improvs coordination between the hips, core muscles, shoulders, and our nervous system.
How to do a single leg deadlift?
After listing the single-leg deadlift benefits, we explain how exactly it is conducted or carried out. Herein, we provide you with the step by step instructions:
- Stand straight in your side profile with your legs directly and hands by your side.
- Gradually, transfer your body weight on your left leg while raising your right leg.
- Consequently, the torso or the upper portion of your body starts bending down.
- Remember not to arch or curve your back, and your back should remain parallel to the ground.
- Your shoulders, hips, and core should remain straight and stiff. This is important so that you don’t experience pain after exercising.
- Your left leg shouldn’t be completely straight, and it should have a slight bend at the knee.
- Continue bending down and raising your right leg until your body forms a “T” position and your right leg, and upper part of your body are almost parallel to the ground.
- You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings, glutes, and your quad muscles.
- Stay there for four to five seconds and then return to your initial position.
- Repeat this with your other leg.
Important/critical tips to keep in mind while doing single leg deadlift:
It is as important for you to take note of these important points while doing this exercise as it is to understand how this exercise is done so that you can carry out this single-leg deadlift without experiencing any pain and to be able to amend the exercise to fit your goals. Here are some of the fundamental points that you need to keep in mind while doing this exercise:
- As mentioned above, never arch your spine. Your spine must be completely straight, keeping it safe from injury. Also, if you continue curving or rounding your spine, it will lead to a bad posture in the long term.
- The raised leg should be nearly parallel to the ground. It should be in line with your upper body and should be straight.
- Initially, it can be hard for you to balance your body weight on one leg, so try to use support, for instance, a wall, chair, or a person’s hand.
- After some time, remove that support and try to balance your weight on your leg independently.
- After you have master balancing your weight, you can increase the intensity of this exercise by holding different weights in your hand while doing this exercise, for instance, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc.
- It is also advisable for pregnant women to only do this exercise in the initial months of their pregnancy and that too without any weights.
- You can increase the sets and the reps in the future but try to start with two sets of 5 reps each day.
- You can also do fewer sets if you are feeling pain.
- It is advisable to do this exercise on a mat so that if you trip while balancing your posture, it can come in handy to save you from any injuries.
- Be gentle with your body and skip the exercise for one or two days if you feel excessive pain in your body.
- Take 3 minutes break between each set.
- Moreover, if you feel that you cannot do this exercise, start with the traditional deadlift and then switch to the single-leg deadlift.
- If you are facing difficulty while balancing your position, then do other balance drills so that your body will better cope up with balancing.
- Never Over exercise yourself, and this can never be stressed enough, NEVER OVEREXERCISE YOURSELF.
And this leads us to the end of our article. I hope you understood the significance of the posterior chain and how the single-leg deadlift exercise can help you strengthen them. Exercising can be challenging initially, but as you practice it regularly and with consistency, you will be able to see dramatic changes in yourself. Hence, I urge you at least to do this exercise with utmost discipline. Good luck!