Self Care – Single-Legged Deadlifts

Dependably Stronger

Single-legged deadlifts strengthen the muscles that stabilize hips and legs, especially as you move from side to side.

Consistently, this works for both the active athlete and the aging senior.

The Ins and Outs of Leg Movements

As this exercise gently focuses on getting you onto one leg, the adductors and lateral gluteal muscles engage.

Adductor muscles move your leg toward the central midline of the body. Conversely, lateral gluteal muscles move your leg away from the midline. Therefore, this exercise improves coordination and strength in both muscle groups.

Reducing back pain and hamstring cramps

In practice, you can feel this activity’s gentle, active stretch on the hamstrings. Accordingly, it calms lower back and hip trigger points, which perpetuate pain and cramping. Further, it reduces the trigger point activity that leads to knee pain.

Balance and Stability

A 70-year-old friend of mine was complaining of pain and instability on stairs and when using a stool to reach higher shelves. So, I suggested single-legged deadlifts. When I checked back with him a few weeks later, he reported less pain and greater confidence on stairs.

A Short Overview

This is not so complicated. Here’s a one-minute video that briefly overviews how to do these one-legged deadlifts.

I put it in a YouTube short so that it will repeat if you’re trying to use it while you’re learning.

Also, you may notice that I get ten reps in less than a minute. You’ll be slower at first, but you can have better strength and stability in less than 10 minutes a day.

Objectives

Typically, I recommend that people do four sets of 10 reps each day. At first, start by holding onto a counter or the back of a chair. Once you are warmed up, I find that the third or fourth sets are easier. Work toward doing your sets without holding on to stabilize yourself.

After three weeks, you’ll have considerable differences in your stability, back pain, and knee pain.

Single-legged deadlifts should be a daily activity for seniors. Most find that their coordination is more stable and that these exercises are easier later in the day. They work well after a walk or game of pickleball.

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