Single Leg Squat Progression
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📍Training at home
📍maxed out all of your weights and need a new upper body movement to build
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📍 Looking for a new workout/skill to learn?
Single leg strength is of the utmost importance in my eyes and it is something often overlooked. Being able to squat on one leg is something you actually do all the time, going down the stairs or while you are running ( site rebuilding mil0)
If you notice an imbalance in your movement control during the single-leg squat problems can be later caused during double- leg movements like the squat, deadlift etc. The easy way to expose any subtle differences is to learn and master the single-leg squat. If you are unable to do the movement due to pain take a look into single leg touchdowns.
Kneeling To stand sl squats
How to do it
Begin on the floor in your lunge position, now with control drive through your standing leg until you're standing. Once in the upright position, try and lower yourself back down on the ground in that lunge position as slow as possible. See if you can have your back knee be the first thing to touch the ground.
Kneeling to stand touchdowns with toes up
How to do it
Begin on the floor as above, only this time lift your back foot off the ground. Once you have control there, begin to stand using only that front leg. Drive all the way up to full upright position and then lower back down with control. (much harder than it looks )
Box Single-Leg squat
How to do it :
Start standing on top of the box with your outside leg hanging off. With as much control as possible think about sending your butt and hips back and down. Try to lower yourself until the free leg touches the ground. Over time you can practice keeping that leg more out in front as you lower towards the ground.
Heel Elevated Single Leg squat
How to do it :
Sometimes someone has the strength to perform a single leg squat but their ankle range of motion is preventing them from getting all the way down. 2 things : you must address and work on your ankle range of motion and secondly you can use this heel elevated modification to help you perform the single leg squat. Once your ankle mobility gets addressed you will be squatting down on one leg in no time. Which leads us to the final step
Pistol Squat
How to do it:
Start in a standing position, lift one leg out in front and hinge your hips back and down until your hip crease is even with your knee or slightly below. Then drive back up to the top until you are in the starting position again.
All versions of this movement are considered to be high-skill movements. When writing your own workouts or following a workout plan, make sure the high-skill movements are done at the forefront of your workout when you are fresh and have the best motor control. Doing these at the end of your leg day while not yet proficient at them will probably result in poor movement patterns and not much gain from the movement at all.
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