You may have heard of the B-Stance RDL on TikTok…but does it actually work AND is it worth your time?
In short: Yes and yes.
The B-Stance RDL is a great variation of the RDL (Romanian deadlift) to focus on if you:
- Wanna work your glutes!
- Need to work out around an injury
- Wish to focus on building stability and balance on both sides
Today, we’ll get into the nitty-gritty about why this exercise is blowing up and what makes it so special.
I’ll cover:
1) How To & Form
2) Muscles Worked
3) Benefits & Showdown: B-Stance RDL vs. Regular & Single Leg RDL
4) B-Stance RDL FAQs
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Okay, now for the B-Stance RDL.
B-Stance RDL How To
Here’s how to perform a B-Stance RDL with killer form!
1) Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in each hand. OR you can choose to hold a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip.
2) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
3) Drag your right foot back, lining up your right toes with your left heel but still keeping your feet shoulder-width apart.
4) Keep your left foot flat, but place only the ball of your right foot on the ground, which will cause your right knee to bend slightly.
5) Keeping a flat back and neutral spine, hinge back at the hips while pushing your butt back and leaning your torso forward. As you do this, bend your left knee slightly.
6) While hinging back, glide the weight down just in line with your front leg.
7) Lower till you feel it in your glutes and hamstrings. Then, squeeze your glutes to propel the motion of lifting the weight back up to the starting position.
8) Repeat.
9) Then, switch legs, and do it all over again!
B-Stance RDL Pro Tips
So, now that you know the basics, let’s cover some pro tips to make sure you look like a boss at the gym while you’re repping it out with your B-Stance RDLs!
Weight Distribution of Your Legs
Most of the weight should be on the front working leg. Aim for 80-90%.
The back leg is there for support and balance and should carry about 10-20% of the weight during the exercise.
Neutral Spine
If you’re new to the deadlift, RDLs take a bit of practice to get the form just right. If you notice you’re starting to arch your back during the exercise, pause and readjust.
REMEMBER:
- Your back should be flat.
- Your butt should go back as you hinge your hips.
If you’re doubting your form, I definitely recommend talking to a staff member at your gym or working with a personal trainer to help you master the B-Stance RDL.
Weight Used
Don’t be a hero. Save your back from a world of pain, and let yourself work up to a weight that provides a challenge without hurting yourself.
Especially if you’re new, I recommend starting lighter. This allows you to see how it feels and listen to your body as you perform the B-Stance RDL.
Type of Weight
One of the great parts of the B-Stance RDL is that you can really use whatever type of weight you want:
- dumbbells
- kettlebells
- OR a barbell
Dumbbells and kettlebells are great choices if you’re just starting out with the B-Stance RDL. They allow for lighter weights and also more range of motion throughout the move.
You can also choose to use just one kettlebell held between both hands if you want to start even lighter.
Barbells are better if you’re looking to really amp up the amount of weight you use. A squat rack can also help with getting the weight up initially, which can be challenging if the weight is heavier.
Will It Work My Glutes?: B-Stance RDL Muscles Worked
Looking to maximize your muscle gain during a B-Stance RDL? First, you’ll need to know which muscles you’re working, so you can make sure you feel the burn!
Glutes
Most people want to know right away if the B-Stance RDL will help you get stronger, bigger glutes. If that’s your goal for adding this workout into your routine, then you’re in luck, my friend.
The B-Stance RDL targets your glutes with the hip flexion and extension motion, and it can be a great move to focus on glute strength and aesthetics.
Hamstrings
Your hamstrings get a good stretch in while you lower the weight and contract when you return back up.
Other Muscles
Some other B-Stance RDL muscles worked include:
1) Hip adductors and abductors
2) Core
3) Upper Body
B-Stance RDL Benefits
Everyone wants to know which one’s better:
1) The Regular RDL
2) The Single Leg RDL
3) OR the B-Stance RDL?
But honestly, the question we should be asking is: Which one’s right for me? Because all 3 of these exercises are great for different reasons. Depending on where you’re at in your workout journey, you can decide which RDL is right for you!
Showdown: B-Stance RDL vs. Regular RDL
Take away the staggered stance, and you have just a regular RDL. In a conventional RDL, both feet remain flat on the floor in line with one another. Here’s how to do it:
1) Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your preferred type of weight in both hands.
2) Hinge your hips back, bringing your butt behind you as you bend your torso forward, maintaining a flat back.
3) As you do this, lower the weight, keeping it close to your shins and bringing it to just below your knees.
4) Squeeze your glutes to return the weight to the starting position.
5) Then repeat.
This one’s a classic, and there’s nothing wrong with a regular RDL. That being said, here’s why some people prefer the staggered stance over both legs and hips working at the same time.
B-Stance RDL Benefits: Identify Muscle Imbalances
A regular RDL is a bilateral exercise, meaning it works out both legs at once. Bilateral moves are great, but adding unilateral variations in to your workout routine can be crucial in order to identify any muscle imbalances in your body.
For example, in a regular RDL, if one leg happens to be a bit stronger than the other, you could subconsciously be shifting your weight to that side in order to make up for the difference.
B-Stance RDLs are not totally unilateral because they still engage the non-working leg slightly. But that being said, the major shift in focus to the working leg helps you ensure a balanced muscular development on both sides of your body! [1]
B-Stance RDL Benefits: Work Around Injuries
If you happen to have an injury on one leg, you can use the B-Stance RDL to still get in that lift without putting strain on the injured leg.
B-Stance RDL Benefits: Reduce Lower Back Pain
If you’re like me, and lower back pain can be a thorn in your side from time to time, RDLs might be a tricky move. In fact, since my own back injury, I still have not been able to add them in to my workout routine.
The B-Stance RDL provides a great variation of the conventional RDL that could put a bit less strain on your back and your joints.
With just one leg working at a time, it puts way less stress on your joints, reducing injury while still giving your muscles a good workout. [2]
Many people have found the B-Stance RDL a great option if they’re recovering from an injury as well.
It also helps if you choose to keep your weight to a lighter, manageable load.
Resources for Lower Back Pain During a Workout
You stumbled on a gold mine, my friend. We have TONS of resources on how to work out safely with lower back pain–even how to USE your workouts to fortify against back pain!
Check out these articles:
Lower Back Strength And Low Back Pain
Lower Back Pain From Lifting | Heavy Lifting Triggered Back Pain
Or these videos:
Back Hurts When Bending Over? NO MORE
3 Strength Exercises For Lower Back Pain - Build Lower Back INVINCIBILITY
Showdown: B-Stance RDL vs. Single Leg RDL
The Single Leg RDL is another RDL variation that’s super popular. Here’s how you do it:
1) As usual, hold the weight in both hands, and keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
2) Hinge back with your hips, keeping a neutral spine. Only this time, one leg will lift off the ground and raise up behind your body.
3) The working leg should remain bent, and your pelvis should remain neutral as you lower the weight.
4) Then return the weight to the starting position.
5) Repeat. Then, switch sides.
Not too different from the B-Stance RDL So, which variation is right for you?
B-Stance RDL Benefits: Minimize Balance Issues
Don’t get me wrong: both of these exercises are great options for working your glutes and hamstrings.
BUT if you find that balancing on one leg makes your body a bit wobbly during the Single Leg RDL, then choosing a B-Stance RDL could help. The whole point of the exercise is to max out based on the muscle’s limitations. It’s not a move that’s supposed to help you build balance.
The benefits of the Single Leg RDL? It’s harder, and it requires more balance. So, if balance is not a limitation for you, go for it!
But with the muscular benefits being very similar, I find the B-Stance RDL is a great option for those not wanting to get their form messed up with the balancing act of the Single-Leg RDL.
Other B-Stance RDL Benefits
B-Stance RDL Benefits: Practicing the Hip Hinge
Used in tons of exercises, the hip hinge motion can be a difficult one to master - but the B-Stance RDL provides a great opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a proper hip hinge, especially if you keep the weight light and don’t overdo it!
B-Stance RDL Benefits: Better Hip Mobility
All that movement in your hips leads to a benefit: better hip mobility! Adding B-Stance RDLs into your workout routine–and any RDL in fact–results in a more active range of motion for your hips.
Lower Back Pain During RDLs
If you’re here because regular RDLs put your lower back through the wringer, then chances are–you could benefit from some extra lower back support to help you on your workout journey. (Read more about Lower Back Pain From RDLs.)
Nothing is more discouraging than coming back home after a workout only to feel your lower back throbbing anytime you bend over to pick something up–or even after you sit down for too long.
My recommended antidote?
It's NOT just pushing through the pain.
And it's definitely NOT wasting time and money with repeated visits to the clinic.
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Pair the QL Claw with our back strengthening and back flexibility programs for even more support to get you back to that fit and active lifestyle you miss.
You can also check out some of our other best glute exercise articles;
How To Perform The B Stance Hip Thrust Exercise
5 Lower Glute Exercises for a Backside Boost
B-Stance RDL FAQs
What is the difference between RDL and B-Stance RDL?
In a regular RDL, you use both legs in a shoulder-width stance. In a B-Stance RDL, you stagger your stance and place most of the weight on your front leg.
What are the benefits of a B-Stance RDL?
Many of B-Stance RDL benefits include focusing on muscular balance, working around injuries, accommodating for lower back and joint pain, and hip mobility.
How do you do a B-Stance in RDL?
The steps are easy. Go back into a hip hinge just like a regular RDL but stagger your stance, so that one foot is brought behind the other–toes in line with the front heel.
Which RDL is best for glutes?
All RDL variations provide great work for the glutes!
Now that you've read about B-Stance RDLs, check out our page on barbell RDLs!
Sources:
[1] Mullican, Kurt BS; Nijem, Ramsey MS, CSCS. Are Unilateral Exercises More Effective Than Bilateral Exercises?. Strength and Conditioning Journal 38(1):p 68-70, February 2016.
[2] Diamant W, Geisler S, Havers T, Knicker A. Comparison of EMG Activity between Single-Leg Deadlift and Conventional Bilateral Deadlift in Trained Amateur Athletes - An Empirical Analysis. Int J Exerc Sci. 2021 Apr 1;14(1):187-201. PMID: 34055137; PMCID: PMC8136577.
[3] https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1529/2/022026