Leg day Single-leg movement variations
are you….
📍Training at home
📍maxed out all of your weights and need a new lower body movement to build
📍low on equipment
📍noticing one leg is stronger than the other?
📍 Looking for a new workout?
Jumping Split Squat
This can be used alone as a way to target the legs while increasing your heart rate or in a superset. For example, if you are working on targeting your lower body you can use the jumping split squat as an alternate movement with a heavy strength-based movement to work on explosiveness, or if you are finishing up your leg day and you are looking for a way to fatigue those muscles throw this move into your circuit.
Helpful Cues
keep your legs hip-width apart so when you land it doesn’t feel like you are walking a tight rope, and absorb the lunge on the switch of the legs, don’t stop with peg legs. If you aren’t there yet, no worries try to shuffle from one leg to the other instead of jumping. It’ll come with more exposure to the movement.
Rear Foot Elevated Jumping Split Squat
I really love this movement for anyone looking to challenge their explosiveness and single-leg drive. I like to use this movement on explosive training days in a circuit or superset with a heavy lower body movement. All dependent on your specific training goals at the time.
Helpful Cues
Make sure your starting position is solid. If you’re a mess before you even started trying to jump it will only get sloppier. Take a second, get set, then forcefully drive through that front leg and explode straight up towards the ceiling. Absorb the landing as you lower down into the next rep. Think small sets here or short bursts of time so you can really focus on keeping the intensity and maximum explosiveness.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Probably one of my all-time favorite unilateral leg movements. IYKYK.
Challenging your balance, core, and ankle stability. If you want to be a strong well balanced human, do this movement.
Helpful Cues
If you are having a hard time balancing try lowering the rear foot towards the ground slightly OR set yourself up next to something you can gently hold onto. Think trx straps, top of the back of a chair, pvc pipe. Really focus on traveling straight down and remaining tall as you lower to the ground. Forcefully drive through your whole foot as you push back up to the starting position.
Front Foot Elevated Split Squat
Targeting mainly your quads with some help from your hamstrings and glutes This is a great move if you want to work the quads a little extra without the use of any machines. You will see me implement this movement into a lower-body focused lifting session after my Compound lift such as back squats or Lunges. You can also use this as a quad-dominant accessory movement wherever that may fit into your routine.
Try this:
4 sets:
Bulgarian Split Squat x 12 per leg
ss.
Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat x 8 per leg
rest :30 seconds between sets
4 sets:
Front foot elevated Lunge x 12 per leg
ss.
Jumping Split Squats x 20
rest :30 seconds between sets
No matter what movements you do or don’t do out there, remember one thing. Consistency is always 🔑 . Stick to the plan and give it a chance to actually work. Program hopping from workout to workout isn’t going to get you anywhere.
If you are unsure about what type of workout plan you should be following, schedule your free consult today, and let’s build a plan for you. No more wishing and hoping for the things you want, let’s make sure it happens.