How to do the Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift
- Stand tall, holding a kettlebell in one hand near your thigh.
- Shift your weight and push your hips back, extending one leg behind you.
- Keep your back straight as you lower the kettlebell toward the floor.
- Push through your heel to return to the starting position.
- Complete all reps before switching the kettlebell to the other hand.
Full technique — 7 steps
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell in one hand by your thigh.
- Shift your weight onto the opposite leg and keep a slight bend in the standing knee.
- Tighten your stomach and hinge at the hips as your free leg reaches straight behind you.
- Let the kettlebell travel close to the standing leg while keeping hips mostly square.
- Lower until you feel a strong hamstring stretch or your torso approaches parallel to the floor.
- Drive the standing foot into the floor and extend the hip to return upright.
- Finish tall without twisting, then complete all reps before switching sides.
Common mistakes
- Opening the hips too early
- Turning it into a squat
- Kettlebell drifting away from leg
- Rounding through the spine
- Using momentum to stand up
Form cues
- Reach long through back leg
- Keep hips square
- Keep kettlebell close
- Stand through the heel
- Own the bottom position
