Single leg lifts are often a hotly debated topic, everybody has their opinion. Some people are all about the big bilateral lifts such as Squats and Deadlifts. Others are at the other end of the continuum. They feel only single leg exercises replicate sporting movements and as such won’t go anywhere near a squat rack. For me as with many things the real truth lies somewhere in the middle.
Both have major pros to them. The major ones from a single leg standpoint include increased stabiliser function, decreased joint loading and stress and increased mobility.
The single leg RDL is a great example of this and is a top posterior change strengthener to boot. It requires a huge amount of stability and proprioception throughout the body whilst really taxing the hip musculature.
Key coaching points include keeping the weight on the midfoot/heel, maintain hips straight ahead and keep a neutral spine throughout the range of motion. All the movement should come from the hips with little to no Lumbar extension occurring.