- Gluteus maximus
- Dumbbell
- Beginner
Kickstand Romanian deadlift
The kickstand Romanian deadlift works your glutes and hamstrings, with your inner thighs, lower back, and arms helping. Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side, stopping with about 3 reps in reserve. To build muscle, do 2 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps per side.
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- Tip 1Weight on your front leg
- Tip 2Back foot just balances
- Tip 3Hips go back
Where you should feel it
In the glute and hamstring of your front leg. The side of your hip works to keep your pelvis level.
- Main muscles
- Gluteus maximus, semitendinosus and semimembranosus, and biceps femoris
- Also working
- Adductor magnus, gluteus medius, spinal erectors, and forearms
How to do it
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, step one foot half a step back and rest only its toes down, heel up beside your front heel.
Keep most of your weight on your front leg, knee softly bent. Your back foot is only there for balance.
Push your hips back and lower the dumbbells close to your front leg with a flat back until you feel your hamstring stretch.
Drive your hips forward to come back up, squeezing the glute of your front leg. Finish all reps, then switch sides.
Common mistakes
Mistake
Splitting your weight evenly between both legs.
How to fix it
Think about 80% of your weight on your front leg. Your back foot touches down but does not push.
Mistake
Rotating your hips toward your back leg.
How to fix it
Keep both hip points facing forward, like car headlights.
Mistake
Rounding your back to get the dumbbells lower.
How to fix it
Only go as low as your back stays flat. The range comes from your hips.
Sets and reps for your goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Reps in reserve | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Getting started | 2 to 3 | 8 to 12 per side | 3 | 60 to 120 s |
| Muscle and definition | 2 to 4 | 6 to 12 per side | 1 to 3 | 1.5 to 3 min |
Reps in reserve: how many more reps you could still do with good form when you end the set.
Variations
Same movement, other equipment
Single kettlebell
One kettlebell in the hand on the back-leg side, lowering close to your front leg.
Single-leg RDL
Your back foot comes off the floor. The next step once your balance is solid.
At home or with more support
At home: with a backpack
Hold a weighted backpack or a dumbbell in front of your standing leg.
Prefer more stability? Two-leg dumbbell RDL
Both feet flat, side by side. More stable, with the same hip movement.
Taken? Swap it for one of these
They work the same main muscle.
Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
Gluteus maximus · Dumbbell
BeginnerSingle-leg Romanian deadlift
Gluteus maximus · Dumbbell
IntermediateSingle-leg hip thrust
Gluteus maximus · Bodyweight
Intermediate
Keep exploring
Gluteus maximus
56 exercises
Glute exercises with dumbbells
17 exercises
How to grow glutes
What the science says about sets, exercises and how long it takes.
Sources
Sets and reps
Currier BS, D'Souza AC, et al. American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. Resistance Training Prescription for Muscle Function, Hypertrophy, and Physical Performance in Healthy Adults: An Overview of Reviews. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2026;58(4):851-872.
Muscles worked
Martín-Fuentes I, Oliva-Lozano JM, et al. Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review. PLoS One. 2020;15(2):e0229507.
Muscles worked
Delgado J, Drinkwater EJ, et al. Comparison Between Back Squat, Romanian Deadlift, and Barbell Hip Thrust for Leg and Hip Muscle Activities During Hip Extension. J Strength Cond Res. 2019;33(10):2595-2601.
Review
Draft. This guide is waiting for review by a certified strength and conditioning professional.
Updated October 31, 2026