How many reps of the TRX single-leg deadlift should you do per leg when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg, using just enough hand pressure on the straps to stay balanced, not to help you stand up. Progress by using lighter pressure on the straps before adding reps, and eventually try a few reps holding the straps but not pulling on them at all.

What can I use instead of a TRX for the single-leg deadlift?

Holding onto a sturdy rack post, doorframe, or wall with one or two fingers gives the same light balance assist without a suspension trainer. Once balance is solid, a single light dumbbell in the opposite hand adds real load the straps couldn't.

What is the TRX single-leg deadlift good for, and when should I skip it?

The straps remove the wobble that usually makes an unassisted single-leg deadlift hard, letting you groove the hip-hinge pattern and build hamstring and glute strength safely on one leg. Skip it, or hold the straps more firmly, if you're still learning to hinge at all, since balancing on one leg makes an unlearned pattern even harder to feel.

Intermediate

TRX Single-Leg Deadlift

This is a hip-dominant hinge on one leg that trains the hamstrings and glutes eccentrically while demanding tight anti-rotation control. The straps remove the wobble that usually limits the standing single-leg deadlift, so you can groove the pattern and add range before loading it. A foundational posterior-chain and balance builder for every level.

Equipment: TRX
Body part: Glutes, Hamstring
Type: Balance, Strength
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus
Browse by movement: Hinge

How to do it

1
Face the anchor and hold both handles with light tension and soft elbows.
2
Balance on one leg with a slight bend in the standing knee.
3
Hinge at the hip, sending the free leg straight back as the torso lowers.
4
Keep the back flat and hips square to the floor throughout.
5
Feel the stretch build in the standing-leg hamstring near the bottom.
6
Drive the hips forward to stand tall, squeezing the glute, then repeat and switch legs.

Tips

Move from the hips, not the lower back; the spine stays neutral.
Keep the trailing leg, torso, and head in one straight line as you fold.
Use the straps for balance only so the hamstrings still do the lifting.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hands pull down on the straps to help stand back up, letting the arms finish reps that the hamstring and glute should be doing.
The standing knee locks out straight during the hinge, cutting off the small bend that keeps the knee and hip working together.
The hips rotate open toward the working leg as the free leg lifts, instead of staying square to the floor through the whole hinge.
Letting the lower back round or arch to reach further replaces the flat-back hinge with spinal movement instead of hip movement.
Rushing the switch between legs skips the pause at the top where the glute is supposed to finish the rep with a real squeeze.
The free leg drops below the line of the torso instead of rising to match it, breaking the straight line from head to heel the movement depends on.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the TRX single-leg deadlift should you do per leg when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg, using just enough hand pressure on the straps to stay balanced, not to help you stand up. Progress by using lighter pressure on the straps before adding reps, and eventually try a few reps holding the straps but not pulling on them at all.
What can I use instead of a TRX for the single-leg deadlift?: Holding onto a sturdy rack post, doorframe, or wall with one or two fingers gives the same light balance assist without a suspension trainer. Once balance is solid, a single light dumbbell in the opposite hand adds real load the straps couldn't.
What is the TRX single-leg deadlift good for, and when should I skip it?: The straps remove the wobble that usually makes an unassisted single-leg deadlift hard, letting you groove the hip-hinge pattern and build hamstring and glute strength safely on one leg. Skip it, or hold the straps more firmly, if you're still learning to hinge at all, since balancing on one leg makes an unlearned pattern even harder to feel.

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