Patriot Health Digest
I have always known when my glutes and hamstrings are not as strong as I want them to be, so I go for squats on a routine basis. However, I have just become aware of how great the Romanian deadlift can be if you use an offset stance.
This position places most of the weight on your front leg, which throws you somewhat off balance, so your core gets more activated to help keep your posture while performing the movement. So, in one exercise, you work on your lower body and your core, challenging your balance, and engaging your posterior chain.
The exercise is also not as challenging as some unilateral moves since you keep both your feet on the floor, but it can still get pretty challenging.
To start, get a barbell or some dumbbells with a slightly lower load than you would normally use for a standard Romanian deadlift. Get in your normal posture with your feet around shoulder width apart. Stand up straight and get tall, holding your barbell with your hands at around mid-thigh level. Squeeze your glutes and your shoulder blades. To go into the offset spot, bring your feet together, then slam your right foot back. And from this position your left foot should stay firmly on the floor, while you are on the front of your right foot.
From the starting spot go on as though you were doing a normal Romanian deadlift—bring your butt backward and bend your front knee just slightly to hinge and lower the weight maintaining control. As you are hinging at your hips and going down, be aware and remember to hold your hips square (pointing forward) and your neck kept in neutral stance. Keep the weight near your body through the move. Most of your weight will be on your front leg, while using your right foot on the floor to keep your balance. Go down deep as comfortable as you can without rounding your back.
With some older men, you might not be able to go so far down into the hip hinge. A little under the knee depth with your barbell is as low as you might go without excessively bending your knees or rounding your back.
Those are two mistakes you do not want to make, because of restricted hip mobility or hamstring flexibility. That said, this exercise works wonders and you will love it.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
