Chair-Assisted Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
One of the biggest barriers to single-leg training isn't strength, it's confidence. If a golfer is constantly wobbling or worried about falling over, they're not loading the glutes effectively or learning proper hip mechanics. The chair provides just enough support to let them focus on what really matters: hinging from the hips, maintaining posture, and building strength.
Recommended Programming
- Warm-Up/Activation: 2 sets of 8 reps per side using a light dumbbell.
- Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–8 reps per side.
- Power: 3 sets of 5–6 explosive but controlled reps per side.
- Endurance/Stability: 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps per side.
Chair-Assisted Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift Instructions
- Stand next to a sturdy chair while holding a dumbbell in the hand opposite the working leg.
- Lightly place your free hand on the chair for balance.
- Shift your weight onto your working leg while keeping a slight bend in the knee.
- Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine.
- Push your hips backward as your opposite leg extends behind you.
- Lower the dumbbell toward the floor while keeping your hips level.
- Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstring or your torso approaches parallel to the floor.
- Drive through your planted heel and squeeze your glute to return to standing.
- Repeat all repetitions before switching sides.
Front View
Side View
Primary Muscles Used
Tips
- Use only your fingertips on the chair.
- Push your hips back first.
- Reach your back heel long behind you.
- Keep your hips square.
- Brace your core before every repetition.
- Maintain a soft bend in the standing knee.
- Keep the dumbbell close to your leg.
- Move slowly and deliberately.
- Pause briefly at the bottom.
- Finish by squeezing your glute.
- Prioritize balance before increasing weight.
- Think about loading your trail hip like the backswing.
Common Mistakes
- Gripping the Chair Too Firmly: Use only light fingertip support so your balance and stabilizing muscles continue to work.
- Rounding the Lower Back: Maintain a neutral spine by hinging from your hips throughout the movement.
- Opening the Hips: Keep both hips facing the floor instead of allowing the lifted hip to rotate upward.
- Locking the Standing Knee: Maintain a slight bend in the support leg to keep tension on the glutes and hamstrings.
- Reaching with the Dumbbell Instead of the Hips: Push your hips backward rather than simply lowering the weight.
- Not Extending the Back Leg: Reach your trail leg long behind you to improve balance and glute activation.
- Using Momentum: Perform each repetition slowly and under control.
- Looking Down at Your Feet: Keep your neck neutral by focusing your eyes several feet in front of you.
- Using Too Much Weight: Select a dumbbell that allows perfect posture and balance.
- Standing Up with Your Lower Back: Finish each repetition by driving through your heel and squeezing your glute.
Tim's list of benefits for the Chair-Assisted Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
- Improves balance throughout the golf swing.
- Develops lead and trail hip stability.
- Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings for greater power production.
- Reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics.
- Improves pelvic control during weight transfer.
- Builds core stability while maintaining posture.
- Reduces compensations caused by poor balance.
- Helps decrease the risk of lower back, knee, and hamstring injuries.
- Makes single-leg training accessible for golfers of all ability levels.
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