One-Arm Side Deadlift

An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.

One-Arm Side Deadlift — Starting position Starting position
One-Arm Side Deadlift — End position End position
Difficulty Advanced
Type Strength
Equipment Barbell
Primary Muscle Quads
AI Rep Counting Log manually

How to Do One-Arm Side Deadlift

  1. Stand to the side of a barbell next to its center. Bend your knees and lower your body until you are able to reach the barbell.
  2. Grasp the bar as if you were grabbing a briefcase (palms facing you since the bar is sideways). You may need a wrist wrap if you are using a significant amount of weight. This is your starting position.
  3. Use your legs to help lift the barbell up while exhaling. Your arms should extend fully as bring the barbell up until you are in a standing position.
  4. Slowly bring the barbell back down while inhaling. Tip: Make sure to bend your knees while lowering the weight to avoid any injury from occurring.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
  6. Switch arms and repeat the movement.

Muscles Worked

Front
Back

Primary

Where One-Arm Side Deadlift does most of its work.

Secondary

Assisting and stabilising muscles.

Alternatives to One-Arm Side Deadlift

10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.

  1. 1 One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats

    One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats

    An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a kettlebell.

    advanced Kettlebell
  2. 2 One Leg Barbell Squat

    One Leg Barbell Squat

    An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.

    advanced Barbell
  3. 3 Leverage Deadlift

    Leverage Deadlift

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a machine.

    beginner Machines
  4. 4 Trap Bar Deadlift

    Trap Bar Deadlift

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads.

    beginner Not specified
  5. 5 Barbell Side Split Squat

    Barbell Side Split Squat

    A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.

    beginner Barbell
  6. 6 Kettlebell Pistol Squat

    Kettlebell Pistol Squat

    An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a kettlebell.

    advanced Kettlebell
  7. 7 Squats

    Squats

    The squat is the king of lower body exercises, targeting the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings while building core stability. It's a fundamental movement pattern that translates directly to everyday activities.

    beginner No Equipment AI tracked
  8. 8 Barbell Squat To A Bench

    Barbell Squat To A Bench

    An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.

    advanced Barbell
  9. 9 Box Squat with Chains

    Box Squat with Chains

    An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.

    advanced Barbell
  10. 10 Speed Squats

    Speed Squats

    An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.

    advanced Barbell

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles do one-arm side deadlift work?

One-Arm Side Deadlift primarily works the quads. The abs, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lower back and traps assist as secondary muscles.

What equipment do I need for one-arm side deadlift?

One-Arm Side Deadlift uses barbell.

One-Arm Side Deadlift: is it suitable for beginners?

One-Arm Side Deadlift is rated advanced. High skill or high load. Worth earning rather than starting with.

What can I do instead of one-arm side deadlift?

One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats, One Leg Barbell Squat, Leverage Deadlift train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.

Can Fitnit count my one-arm side deadlift reps automatically?

Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; one-arm side deadlift can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.

Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.

Track Your One-Arm Side Deadlift with AI

Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.