The deadlift is an overall mass and strength-building exercise that is commonly performed with both hands and a heavy barbell. One-arm deadlifts are a challenging and beneficial exercise to incorporate into your routine. One-arm deadlifts require a different balance and use different stabilizing muscles from a standard deadlift.
The Motion
To perform a one-arm deadlift, stand with a shoulder-width stance and a barbell on the floor beside you. Position yourself so the outside of your leg is even with the center of the barbell. Bend at the knees with a straight back and arms at your sides. Stop when your hand reaches the bar. Grasp the bar as you would a suitcase and stand up straight as you exhale. Extend your hips forward as you stand, and don't bounce with the weight. Bend your knees to lower the bar to the floor, then repeat. Do the exercise on both sides.
Benefits
The one-arm deadlift benefits many muscle groups and challenges the muscles from a different angle from the standard two-arm deadlift. The one-arm movement primarily works your quadriceps, but it also works your glutes, abdominals, hamstrings, calves, lower back and trapezius. It also forces you to use different muscles to control and stabilize the weight on each repetition.
Variation
If you don't have access to a barbell or just want to try something different, try the one-arm deadlift with a dumbbell. Stand holding the dumbbell at your side like a suitcase, then bend your knees with your back straight like with the barbell move. As you lower the weight, rotate the dumbbell so it is between your feet with the back of your hand is facing out at the bottom. Pause at the bottom for a moment, then stand and repeat. Alternate the exercise between arms. The twisting motion of the dumbbell engages your oblique muscles, as well as the muscles worked with the barbell deadlift. Try the dumbbell variation with straight legs to engage your hamstrings more.
Cautions
When performing the deadlift, observe a few safety measures to help you avoid injury. Don't jerk up the weight at any point or you could cause a low-back injury. Work slowly throughout the movement and use a controlled motion to keep your balance and protect your back. Use wrist straps if you think the weight is too heavy to hold, and if you start to fatigue, stop the exercise so you don't start bending at the waist instead of the knees.
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