Dumbbell Staggered-Stance RDL

HingeDB

Similar to the B-stance RDL but with the back foot lifted onto the toe/ball of the foot slightly further back, offering a middle ground of unilateral loading between the B-stance and full single-leg RDL.

Demo: Squat University

Sets

3

Reps

8-12 per side

Rest

1 min

Contraindications

Same general contraindications as single-leg hinge variants; suitable as an accessible bridge exercise for those building toward full unilateral loading.

Setup

Front foot flat and forward, back foot up on the ball of the foot slightly behind, most weight on the front leg.

Execution

  1. 1Hinge hips back, keeping most weight on the front leg
  2. 2Allow the back leg to bend and trail naturally, providing light balance assistance only
  3. 3Lower dumbbells close to the front shin
  4. 4Drive through the front heel to return to standing
  5. 5Keep the torso square throughout

Key cues

  • Front leg is the prime mover
  • Back leg only lightly assists balance
  • Hinge, don't squat
  • Keep the dumbbells close to the body
  • Square hips, no rotation

Common faults

  • Shifting too much weight onto the back leg
  • Rounding the back
  • Turning the movement into a lunge pattern
  • Losing balance and compensating with torso lean
  • Rushing through reps

Tweaks

  • Progress toward full single-leg RDL by lifting the back foot
  • Add tempo eccentric
  • Two-dumbbell version for symmetrical loading

Regressions

Dumbbell B-Stance RDL

Progressions

Dumbbell Single-Leg RDL

Muscles

Primary: Hamstrings, Gluteus Maximus

Secondary: Core, Hip Stabilizers

Notes

A useful intermediate step in the RDL progression before removing all back-leg support.

Sources

Attribution: Bret Contreras