B-Stance RDL Guide: Muscles Worked, How-To, Benefits, and Variations – Fitness Volt (2024)

Whoever you are and whatever you do, you NEED a strong posterior chain. Well-develop glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors will correct your posture, injury-proof your lower back, improve athleticism, and enhance your appearance.

Young, old, male, female – your posterior chain should be a training priority! But what exercises should you use?

The barbell Romanian deadlift (RDL) is arguably one of the best exercises for beefing up your posterior chain. The hip-hinge action and position of the load relative to your feet mean it’s not only a kick-ass exercise but also pretty safe. The barbell RDL also lends itself to lifting heavy weights, so it’ll get you super-strong.

On the downside, the RDL is a bilateral exercise, which means it works both legs at once. This is not a bad thing, but it means that RDLs are not especially functional. After all, many activities occur one leg at a time, e.g., walking, running, jumping, kicking, and throwing.

Also, bilateral exercises can often disguise left-to-right strength imbalances.

The good news is that switching to single-leg RDLs can help overcome these issues, provided you can maintain your balance, that is.

B-stance RDLs involve using your non-working leg for support, so balance is much less of an issue. Removing the balance component from this exercise means you can focus more on performing it correctly and getting more from your workout.

In this article, we explain why and how to do B-stance RDLs and provide you with a few variations and alternatives to try.

B-Stance RDL – Muscles Worked

From an exercise science perspective, B-stance RDLs are an isolation exercise because most of the movement comes from just one joint – the hip. However, despite this, B-stance RDLs involve quite a few different muscles.

The main muscles trained during B-stance RDLs are:

Gluteus maximus

Known as the glutes for short, this muscle is basically your butt. The glutes are mainly responsible for extending your hips. However, some glute fibers also play a role in hip abduction and rotation.

Hamstrings

The hamstrings are a group of three muscles – the semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris. These muscles work together to flex your knees and extend your hips. The hamstrings are located on the backs of your thighs.

Hip abductors

Located on the outside of your hips and thighs, the hip abductor group of muscles is responsible for lifting your leg out and away from the midline of your body. The main abductors are the gluteus maximus and minimus and the tensor fascia latae. The function of the hip abductors during B-stance RDLs is to stop your supporting knee from collapsing inward.

Hip adductors

Opposing your hip abductors, the adductors are responsible for drawing your legs in toward the midline of your body. During B-stance RDLs, the adductors work mostly to stabilize your supporting leg and stop it from falling outward. The adductor muscles are the longus, brevis, and magnus and are located on the inside of your thighs.

Triceps surae

The triceps surae is basically your calf. You’ll need to use your calves to stabilize your ankle during B-stance RDLs. The triceps surae muscles are the gastrocnemius and soleus, which are responsible for plantar flexion or pointing your ankle.

Core

Your core is made up of several muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. These muscles work together to stabilize your lumber spine. B-stance RDLs require a good level of core strength.

Upper body

While B-stance RDLs are most definitely a lower body exercise, you can’t do them without using your upper body. The main upper body muscles involved in B-stance RDLs include:

• Trapezius
• Deltoids
• Latissimus Dorsi
• Biceps
• Forearm flexors

However, the training effect on these muscles is minimal, and you may not even feel them working.

How to Do B-Stance RDL

Get more from B-stance RDLs while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:

1. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand and stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Brace your core and pull your shoulders back and down. Bend your knees slightly for balance and greater stability.
2. Take a small step back with one leg and, with your knee slightly bent, place the ball of your foot just behind your heel.
3. Hinging from the hips, push your butt backward, lean forward, and lower the dumbbells down the front of your leg.
4. Stand back up and repeat.
5. On completion of your set, rest a moment, switch legs, and then do the same number of reps on the opposite side.

Pro Tips:

• Take care not to round your lower back, as doing so could result in injury.
• Use gym chalk to stop your hands from slipping.
• You can also do this exercise with a single dumbbell or kettlebell held in the same or opposite hand to the leg you are training.
• Increase the load by using a barbell instead of dumbbells.
• You can also do B-stance RDLs with just your body weight for resistance, like this:

B-Stance RDL Benefits and Drawbacks

Not sure if B-stance RDLs are worthy of a place in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!

A very effective posterior chain exercise

Whether you want to run faster, jump higher, or just look good in your shorts or jeans, B-stance RDLs will help. This is a very potent exercise that will boost your posterior chain appearance and performance.

Identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances

While it’s pretty normal to have one leg stronger than the other, if this strength discrepancy is too large, it can affect your athletic performance and could even cause injuries. Training one side of your posterior chain at a time means you can spot and fix any imbalances. Unilateral leg exercises are excellent for this purpose.

Better balance

While B-stance RDLs are not as balance-intensive as REAL single-leg Romanian deadlifts, they come a close second. Balance is your ability to keep your center of mass over your base of support. Better balance means you are less likely to fall over. Balance tends to deteriorate with age but is also highly trainable.

Improved hip mobility

B-stance RDLs involve a lot of hip flexion and extension. As such, they can help improve your hip joint mobility. Mobility is the active range of motion available at a joint or joints. Like strength and balance, mobility tends to decrease with age and lack of activity.

More stable joints

Standing on one leg, albeit with a little assistance, means you’ll need to work harder to stabilize your ankles, knees, and hips. Stability is your ability to prevent unwanted movement, e.g., knees caving in or hips dropping. Lack of stability is a leading cause of injury and can also hurt your athletic performance.

While B-stance RDLs are a safe and effective exercise, there are also a few drawbacks to consider:

Balance can still be a problem for some people

While B-stance RDLs are less balance-intensive than regular single-leg RDLs, they still involve putting most of your weight onto one leg rather than two. This could be a problem for some exercisers, especially those with compromised neuromuscular systems or severe left-to-right strength or stability imbalances.

Good for hypertrophy and endurance but not so good for muscular strength

The unilateral nature of this exercise means it does not lend itself to lifting maximal loads. As such, it’s not a great exercise for building pure strength. The bilateral barbell RDL and conventional deadlift are better choices for this purpose. However, B-stance RDLs are a good exercise for hypertrophy and muscular endurance.

Tricky to learn

B-stance RDLs are quite a skillful exercise and can be tricky to learn. As such, they’re probably best left to experienced exercisers, and beginners should focus on perfecting their performance of the bilateral RDL before attempting the B-stance version.

Less time-efficient workouts

Unilateral exercises take twice as long as their bilateral counterparts. After all, for every set you do, you’ve got to train each leg separately. This could be a turn-off for time-pressed exercisers.

7 B-Stance RDL Variations and Alternatives

B-stance RDLs are a highly effective posterior chain exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. There are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:

1. Romanian deadlifts

If unilateral RDLs are a bit too challenging for you right now, you can hit the same muscles with regular Romanian deadlifts. The movement is almost the same, but the balance requirement is much lower. This exercise is a prerequisite to B-stance RDLs.

Steps:

1. Hold a barbell with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, and stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Bend your knees slightly, brace your core, and pull your shoulders down and back.
2. Hinging from the hips, push your butt back and lean forward, lowering the bar down the fronts of your legs.
3. Drive your hips forward and stand up straight. Do NOT lean back at the top of your rep, as doing so could result in injury.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, abductors, adductors, core.
• Secondary: Trapezius, deltoids, biceps, forearms.

Benefits:

• A less technically demanding exercise than B-stance RDLs.
• An excellent exercise for lifting heavier loads and building strength.
• A good choice for beginners and exercisers with below-average balance.

2. Single-leg RDL

If you’ve mastered conventional and B-stance RDLs, and have above-average balance, you will probably be ready for the “real” single-leg Romanian deadlifts. While this exercise is not necessarily better than the B-stance version, it is more difficult, and difficult is good for building muscle and strength.

Steps:

1. Hold dumbbells in your hand and stand with your feet together, arms by your sides. Brace your abs and pull your shoulders back and down. Bend your knees slightly for stability and support.
2. Shift your weight over onto one leg.
3. Hinging from your hips, lean forward and lower the weights down the front of your leg. Extend your non-supporting leg out behind you to act as a counterbalance.
4. Stand back up straight and repeat.
5. Rest a moment and then do the same number of reps on the opposite side.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, abductors, adductors, core.
• Secondary: Trapezius, deltoids, biceps, forearms.

Benefits:

• Better for improving your balance than B-stance RDLs.
• A more challenging version of B-stance RDLs.
• Good for improving hip mobility and stability.

3. B-stance hip thrusts

The B-stance RDL isn’t the only semi-unilateral posterior chain exercise you can do. B-stance hip thrusts work many of the same muscles. They’re also much less balance-intensive, so they’re a better choice for beginners and exercisers who are unstable on their feet.

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your back against an exercise bench. Bend your legs and place your feet flat on the floor.
2. Move one leg forward and pull your toes up so you’re resting on your heel. This is your B-stance or helper leg, not the one you are training.
3. Drive your supporting foot into the floor, pushing through your heel to engage your glutes and hamstrings. Push your hips up until your thighs and abdomen are parallel to the floor.
4. Lower your butt back to the floor and repeat.
5. Rest a moment, switch sides, and repeat. Do the same number of reps on the opposite leg.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, abductors, adductors.
• Secondary: Calves, core.

Benefits:

• Easier to learn and master than B-stance RDLs.
• A very lower back-friendly exercise.
• An excellent exercise for safely overloading your posterior chain.

Read also: B-Stance Hip Thrusts Guide

4. B-stance squats

Squats are one of the best exercises you can do for your lower body. However, unless you’re prepared to use weights, the bilateral bodyweight version can soon become a little too easy. And that’s where B-stance squats come in.

With this variation, you shift your weight onto one leg and use the other just for assistance. This is an excellent way to overload one leg at a time without resorting to using weights.

Steps:

1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Move one foot back so it’s just behind the other. Place the ball of your foot on the floor so you can use it for balance but won’t be able to put much weight on it.
3. Bend your legs and squat down until your front thigh is roughly parallel to the floor.
4. Stand back up and repeat.
5. Rest a moment, swap legs, and then do the same number of reps on the opposite side.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, abductors, adductors.
• Secondary: Calves, core.

Benefits:

• A very lower back-friendly exercise.
• An effective way to overload your muscles without using weights.
• A useful balance and stability exercise.

5. Reverse deficit lunges

While reverse deficit lunges look nothing like B-stance RDLs, they work many of the same muscles and also train one leg at a time. If you like the idea of B-stance RDLs but struggle to perform them correctly, this exercise is a viable alternative.

Steps:

1. Stand on a four to eight-inch platform with your feet together and arms by your sides. Brace your core and adopt a good upright posture.
2. Step back off your platform, bend your legs, and lower your rear knee down to within an inch of the floor.
3. Push off your rear leg, return to the platform, and then do another rep with the opposite leg.
4. Alternate legs for the duration of your set.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, abductors, adductors.
• Secondary: Calves, core.

Benefits:

• A knee and lower back-friendly lower body exercise.
• Good for developing better hip mobility and balance.
• Easy to learn, so a good exercise for beginners.

6. B-stance cobra good morning

It’s a mistake to think you have to lift heavy weights to develop a stronger posterior chain. Despite being a bodyweight exercise, B-stance cobra good mornings are a real butt-kicker, and you’ll feel them deep in your hammies, too. The name refers to your arm position (it looks a little like an enraged cobra’s hood) and the fact you are bowing.

Steps:

1. Place your hands on the side of your head. Push your elbows back to open your chest.
2. Standing with your feet together, move one foot back, so the ball of your foot is just behind your other heel. Bend your supporting leg for balance.
3. Push your butt backward and hinge forward as far as possible without rounding your lower back.
4. Stand back up and repeat.
5. Rest a moment, swap legs, and then do the same number of reps on the other side.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, abductors, adductors.
• Secondary: Calves, core.

Benefits:

• A challenging bodyweight workout for the posterior chain.
• Very lower back-friendly.
• No equipment required, so it’s ideal for home exercisers.

7. B-stance deadlift

Deadlifts are one of the most effective posterior chain exercises you can do. The movement and position of the load mean they’re perfect for lifting heavy weights and getting strong AF!

However, they ARE a bilateral exercise, which is where B-stance deadlifts come in. This exercise has all the benefits of conventional deadlifts but allows you to emphasize one leg at a time.

Steps:

1. Stand behind your barbell with your feet roughly hip-width apart. Move one foot back, so the ball of your foot is just behind your heel.
2. Squat down and grab the bar with an overhand or mixed grip.
3. Brace your core, pull your shoulders down and back, and lift your chest. Your arms should be straight, with your hips a little lower than your shoulders.
4. Using your rear leg for assistance only, drive your front foot into the floor and stand up. Do not round your lower back.
5. Lower the weight back to the floor, and repeat.
6. Rest a moment, swap legs, and do the same number of reps on the other side.

Muscles Targeted:

• Primary: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, abductors, adductors.
• Secondary: Calves, forearms, core.

Benefits:

• An excellent accessory exercise for conventional deadlifts.
• A good lower and upper body workout.
• An effective way to identify and address left-to-right strength imbalances.

B-Stance RDL FAQs

Do you have a question about B-stance RDLs or posterior training in general? It’s all good, bro, coz we’ve got the answers!

1. Why do so many people have a weak posterior chain?

A large and growing number of people have weak glutes and underdeveloped hamstrings.

Why?

The simple answer is prolonged sitting. Sitting for hours at a time makes your glutes and hamstrings weak and lazy, and one leg workout a week are not enough to repair the damage this causes.

Because of this, posterior chain training should be a priority. Forget your once-a-week leg workout. You need to hit your glutes and hammies 2-3 times a week to offset all the sitting you probably do.

2. How many reps should I do for B-stance RDLs?

In the past, it was thought that you needed to do a certain number of reps for specific fitness goals, i.e., 6-12 for hypertrophy, 13-20 for endurance, and 1-5 for strength.

While the rep range for strength is legit, it’s now thought that, for building muscle, training to failure is more important than the number of reps performed. Studies suggest you can build muscle with 30 or more reps per set, provided you work hard enough (1).

So, by all means, stick to the 6-12 rep range, but also understand that you can do more reps with a lighter load if you prefer. This lighter training approach may be preferable for home lifters, who may not have access to heavy weights.

3. Are B-stance RDLs safe?

B-stance RDLs are relatively safe. However, because your stance is uneven, there is a chance that you’ll load your body in an unbalanced way. This could put extra stress on your lower back.

So, if you feel B-stance RDLs in your lower back, you should reduce the weight and make sure you are not twisting or loading one side of your body more than the other.

4. What’s the difference between kickstand RDLs and B-stance RDLs?

Kickstand and B-stance RDLs are the same things. They’re just different names for this semi-unilateral exercise. B-stance refers to the fact that this is not your primary stance, while kickstand describes how your supporting leg looks and works during this exercise. Use whichever term you prefer, as they’re both pretty universally accepted.

5. Do I have to include unilateral leg exercises in my workouts?

Single-leg training is not compulsory, but most people should include at least one or two unilateral exercises in their leg workouts. Bilateral leg exercises like leg presses, squats, and deadlifts are great for building muscle mass and strength. Still, they can also cause or disguise left-to-right strength imbalances.

Also, a lot of physically demanding activities happen one leg at a time, like running, jumping, and kicking. As such, it makes sense to include unilateral exercises in your workouts if you want to improve your athletic performance or improve your functional strength.

Wrapping Up

There is nothing wrong with regular Romanian deadlifts. In fact, they’re an excellent exercise for strengthening and building your posterior chain. However, B-stance RDLs are a great way to train both legs more evenly and identify and fix left-to-right strength imbalances. They’re also helpful for adding variety to your workouts.

So, add B-stance RDLs to your leg exercise library. Even if you only do them occasionally, you will surely appreciate their uniqueness and effectiveness.

References:

Fitness Volt is committed to providing our readers with science-based information. We use only credible and peer-reviewed sources to support the information we share in our articles.

1. Lasevicius T, Ugrinowitsch C, Schoenfeld BJ, Roschel H, Tavares LD, De Souza EO, Laurentino G, Tricoli V. Effects of different intensities of resistance training with equated volume load on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Eur J Sport Sci. 2018 Jul;18(6):772-780. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2018.1450898. Epub 2018 Mar 22. PMID: 29564973.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29564973/

Interested in measuring your progress? Check out our strength standards for Good Morning, Hip Abduction, Clean, and more.

If you have any questions or require further clarification on this article, please leave a comment below. Patrick is dedicated to addressing your queries promptly.