SL DB RDL
How to Do It
Hold a DB in one or both hands and stand on one leg with a soft knee. Hinge at the hip, extending the free leg straight behind as the torso lowers and the DB tracks toward the floor; keep the hips square and back flat. Lower until you feel a hamstring stretch, then drive the hip forward to return to standing. Reps, then switch.
Why It Works
Combines hip-hinge eccentric hamstring loading with a strong anti-rotation and balance demand on one leg, building unilateral posterior-chain strength and the hip/ankle stability needed to control the pelvis.
Hockey Transfer
Trains the single-leg hip extension and pelvic control underlying each skating stride, improving push-off balance and stride symmetry while building hamstring resilience and ankle/hip stability for edge control.
Coaching Cues
- "Hips square, don’t open"
- "reach the back heel to the wall"
- "flat back, slow down"
Common Mistakes
Hips rotating open; rounding the back; rushing and losing balance
Progression / Regression
heavier DB or eyes closed
lighter/no weight or tap the back toe down for balance
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
This exercise is part of a fully periodized 12-week off-ice program — built by a sport scientist who coaches at the national level.
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