B-stance RDL

Also called kickstand RDL, B-stance Romanian deadlift, staggered-stance Romanian deadlift.

What is a b-stance RDL?

A B-stance RDL is a Romanian deadlift performed with one foot slightly behind the other. The front leg does most of the work while the rear toes stay down for balance. This guide uses two dumbbells and keeps the rear heel raised.

Female anatomical model holding two dumbbells in a staggered stance, hinged forward and upright, with the rear heel raised in both frames.

How do you perform a b-stance RDL?

Set up

Stand holding a dumbbell beside each thigh. Move one foot a short distance back, keeping the feet on separate tracks rather than in a tightrope stance.
Keep the front foot flat and rest the rear foot on its toes. Soften the front knee, place most of your weight over that leg and brace your torso.

Execution

Move your hips backward as your chest tips forward. Let the dumbbells descend close to the front leg while the rear toes remain on the floor.
End the descent before your back rounds or your hips turn. You do not need to put the weights on the floor.
Press through the front foot and bring your hips forward until you are upright. Repeat, then switch which foot is in front.

Common mistakes

Pushing equally through both legs
Reset the stance so the rear toes provide support while you work through the front leg. Reduce the load if you keep shifting backward.
Dropping into a split squat
Keep the front knee softly bent and move the hips backward instead of lowering the rear knee toward the floor.
Chasing depth with the shoulders
Stop where you can keep your trunk steady; reaching the dumbbells farther down is not the goal.

Where it fits in a session

Use this where your session calls for a hip hinge.

Record the dumbbell load and repetitions for each working leg. Keep the stance consistent between sessions.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary

Secondary

None listed in this guide

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Variations

Dumbbell Romanian deadliftUses a side-by-side stance with a dumbbell in each hand.
Single-leg Romanian deadliftThe non-working foot leaves the floor during the hinge.

Frequently asked questions

Is a kickstand RDL the same as a B-stance RDL?

Yes. Both names describe the staggered setup with the rear toes supporting you while you work through the front leg.

Which leg should I feel working?

Use the leg with the flat, forward foot as the working side. Keep the rear toes light; if you keep pushing backward onto them, reset with lighter dumbbells.

Is this a single-leg RDL?

The rear foot stays grounded here. In a single-leg RDL it lifts off the floor. Keep separate exercise records if you train both versions.

Sources

J. Gordon Betts et al. Anatomy and Physiology 2e: Appendicular Muscles of the Pelvic Girdle and Lower Limbs. 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-6-appendicular-muscles-of-the-pelvic-girdle-and-lower-limbs