Exercise guide
Dumbbell Single Arm Deadlift
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Hips
- Lower legs
This unilateral hinge variation builds posterior chain strength while challenging core stability and anti-rotation. It effectively targets the glutes and hamstrings while forcing the obliques and traps to stabilize the offset load.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and place a dumbbell on the floor just outside one of your feet.
- Hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes back while keeping a slight bend in the knees.
- Reach down with one hand to grip the dumbbell handle firmly, keeping the non-working arm extended to the side for balance.
- Flatten your back and pull your shoulders down and back to engage your lats and stabilize the spine.
How to do it
- Inhale to brace your core, then exhale as you drive through your heels to stand upright, keeping the dumbbell close to your leg.
- Finish the movement by fully extending your hips and knees without leaning backward at the top.
- Inhale as you hinge back down with control, lowering the dumbbell toward the floor while maintaining a flat back and neutral neck.
- Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 2 seconds to lower the weight and 1-2 seconds to return to a standing position.
Form checklist
- Keep your shoulders square to the floor; do not let the weighted side dip or rotate.
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.
- Ensure your knees stay aligned with your toes and do not cave inward.
- Distribute your weight evenly across your feet to prevent tipping toward the weighted side.
Pro tips
- Imagine 'crushing an orange' in the armpit of your working arm to maximize lat engagement and spinal stability.
- Focus on pushing the floor away with your legs rather than pulling the weight up with your arm.
- Actively brace your obliques on the non-weighted side to resist the pull of the dumbbell.
Make it harder
- Perform the exercise from a small platform (deficit) to increase the range of motion and hamstring stretch.
- Incorporate a 3-second eccentric (lowering) phase to increase time under tension and muscle fiber recruitment.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the dumbbell single arm deadlift work?
- The dumbbell single arm deadlift primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the dumbbell single arm deadlift?
- The dumbbell single arm deadlift uses dumbbell.
- Is the dumbbell single arm deadlift good for beginners?
- The dumbbell single arm deadlift is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- Barbell Band Assisted DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Barbell Paused Sumo DeadliftAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Smith Sumo DeadliftIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and trapezius
- Kettlebell Double SwingAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and trapezius