Place your feet around hip width with the heel of the front foot about even with the toe of the back foot.
 
With a dumbbell hanging from each hand, hinge at the hip while allowing the knees to bend slightly. Move as far down as possible, gradually allowing the back to soften slightly rather than keeping it locked in extension. Stand again by extending the hip and back together.
 
Generally the straighter the leg, the more the hamstrings are emphasized, and the more the knee is bent, the more the glutes contribute.
 
Purpose
The soft-back staggered dumbbell RDL is an effective way to help balance strength and mobility between the two sides of the hip, and also typically allows athletes to move through a longer range of motion in the forward leg than they would in a conventional RDL. Allowing the back to soften builds additional lower back strength and can help decompress the lower back.
 
Programming
Sets of 8-12 reps per leg are typically appropriate—higher reps typically with dumbbells can be used in a warm-up to help loosen the hips and get the athlete feeling the glutes; lower reps with heavier weights can be used as accessory work at the end of a training session.
 
Variations
The straighter the knee, the more hamstring emphasis; more knee bend will encourage more glute contribution.