Got an athlete non-weightbearing after surgery? Trying to figure out a way to challenge hip stability without ankle contribution? Looking to change things up? Well look no farther than this Kneeling RDL variation. The kneeling configuration is the PERFECT EXERCISE for challenging the hip musculature/stability without ANY ANKLE CONTRIBUTION. Balance is in large part determined by not only one's hip stability, but also ankle stability. This variation allows us to completely eliminate any ankle contribution to the single leg RDL and completely target the hip. This exercise is EXTREMELY HARD to pull off with good form! I'm using a slider provided by @6directionstm to give me a little bit of help with balance. Even so, I'm not able to control a full downward phase (full hip flexion) as I'm letting my center of mass sink posteriorly (as evidenced by the increase in knee flexion during the descent phase), placing less demand on my hips. Ideally, my hips would stay in place and my trunk would flex forward (ie a perfect hip hinge) in addition to keeping the back leg off the ground at all times. If this variation is still hard, try performing next to a wall for balance. For a more advanced progression, try performing on the blue side of a BOSU!
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