Part 1
Every 3 minutes for 4 Rounds (12 minutes total):
- 6 Supported Single Leg Romanian Deadlift (Left Leg)
- 6 Supported Single Leg Romanian Deadlift (Right Leg)
Part 2
Every 3 minutes for 4 Rounds (12 minutes total):
- 6 Slow Dumbbell Deadlifts
- 12 Alternating Bent Over Rows
Suggested Weight:
Men: 35-50# DBs
Women: 25-35# DBs
Coach’s Notes
It’s acceptable if your knee bends slightly more than in a standard Romanian Deadlift (RDL) during these exercises. Our primary goal is glute activation (though you’ll also feel it in your hamstrings). Focus on your movement and make small adjustments to ensure you’re engaging the correct muscles. Each set of 6 reps for both RDLs and regular deadlifts should take at least a minute. For regular deadlifts, if you experience back rounding or struggle with the full range of motion, consider a sumo stance variation. Bent over rows will be quicker; 12 reps should take about a minute with continuous movement. For the first two parts, aim for approximately 2 minutes of non-stop exercise followed by a rest period of no more than a minute within each set.
—Supported Single Leg RDL
These are single leg RDLs where your back foot is supported by a bench, step, or stack of plates. Ideally, the support height should be slightly lower than what you’d use for a split squat. The back foot is mainly for balance; the front leg should be doing the work. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, with a slight bend in your front knee. Hinge forward, maintaining a long spine, until your hands are just below your knees. Keep your core engaged throughout. Drive through your front heel and slowly lift your chest back to an upright position.
Lower for at least 3 seconds, pause at the bottom, and rise for at least 3 seconds. Pause at the top, but keep your front leg engaged.
—Dumbbell Deadlift
Start with the dumbbells on the ground, feet under your hips, heels down, hips and knees bent. Your grip should be outside your legs with arms straight. Chest up, core tight, and back flat! To lift, drive through your heels and raise your chest. Keep your arms straight, chest up, and core tight as you stand fully upright.
To lower, push your hips back, keeping your chest lifted and core engaged. Maintain heel contact with the ground. Once the dumbbells are below your knees, re-bend your knees and lower the dumbbells to the starting position under control. Only one head of each dumbbell needs to touch the ground at the bottom. Ensure that in the setup position, your shoulders are always higher than your hips by bending your knees sufficiently.
—Alternating Bent Over Row
Begin by deadlifting the dumbbells to just below your knees. From this position, maintain your torso position and lifted chest. Pull one elbow back, bringing the dumbbell to just below your chest. Avoid shrugging your shoulders; keep them down and away from your ears with your shoulder blades slightly retracted at all times. Keep your core tight. Lower the dumbbell back to just below the knee with your arm straight and repeat on the other side. These should be performed slowly, eliminating momentum or hip assistance.
If your back is intensely engaged and core engagement isn’t helping, switch to 6 supported single arm bent over rows on each side.
