Skip to content
ascend.
Exercise guide

One-Arm Side Deadlift

How to do the One-Arm Side Deadlift with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundBarbellExpertPull
Primary muscles

Quads

Secondary

Abs, Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Traps

Equipment

Barbell

Step by step

How to do the One-Arm Side Deadlift

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 5

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

  6. 6

    Switch arms and repeat the movement.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every One-Arm Side Deadlift set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap — so your quads volume is visible at a glance — and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Related

More quads exercises

Ascend Club

The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.

Core tracking stays free forever — the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.

See Club plans

14-day free trial · no card to start

 FreeClub
Tracking, the climb and streaks
Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables
Muscle-league tiers
The AI coachnudgesFull conversation
Worldwide leagues and challenges
PR projections and deep analytics
Unlimited crews
Themes, export and higher AI limits