One legged squats. How low?

lreyenga
lreyenga Posts: 37
in Fitness and Exercise
I am doing a functional fitness program, and I just started a new set of strength training exercises. This is the description of the exercise:

One-Legged Squats:
Notes: Hold a barbell over your shoulders; keep the weight light (practice with an empty bar, or no bar at all, until you get used to this one). Put one foot behind you. Drop down -- sort of like you're doing a lunge, but keep all your weight on your front leg -- like you're doing a squat, but with only one leg (use your rear leg mostly for balance). Don't let your front knee pass in front of your front toes, and drop down to the point your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Use your front leg and glutes to push yourself back up. Careful not to "round" or hunch your your back. Do all the reps on one leg, then do all the reps on the other.

Doing a one legged squat until your front hamstring is parallel to the ground does not seem anatomically possible to me. I did some google searching for instructional video and found people who did it to parallel with the other leg in front, but not behind. Is anyone out there experienced with this exercise? How "low" should you be able to go to start adding weight?

Replies

  • Yogi_Carl
    Yogi_Carl Posts: 1,906 Member
    I wouldn't be adding weight to this exerise at all as it is hard enough to control your weight up and down and the bending leg is under extreme stress anyway and the extended leg (in front) is pulling up hard in the quads (like on a thigh extension machine). You also may need your hands on your hips or straight out to act as stablilisers certainly on the way back up.

    I would say if you are wanting to use weight, you could look at improving your form to make things harder.

    The squat goes down to where the bending leg is fully bent, like a deep conventional squat and the butt is sitting on the heel. If you can't get your heel down without toppling backwards because your achilles tendons are too tight, place your heel on a block or folded blanket.

    Others will come forward with a weighted version I am sure so I would look forward to more replies here as I train bodyweight only and love it. (I don't think bodyweight only is superior to weights by any means, but it certainly is a challenge and a change).
  • Hendrix7
    Hendrix7 Posts: 1,903 Member
    Notes: Hold a barbell over your shoulders; keep the weight light (practice with an empty bar, or no bar at all, until you get used to this one). Put one foot behind you. Drop down -- sort of like you're doing a lunge, but keep all your weight on your front leg -- like you're doing a squat, but with only one leg (use your rear leg mostly for balance). Don't let your front knee pass in front of your front toes, and drop down to the point your front thigh is parallel to the ground. Use your front leg and glutes to push yourself back up. Careful not to "round" or hunch your your back. Do all the reps on one leg, then do all the reps on the other.

    this sounds more like a skater squat.

    http://www.benbruno.com/2011/02/exercise-of-the-week-skater-squats/
    I did some google searching for instructional video and found people who did it to parallel with the other leg in front, but not behind

    this is a pistol squat

    http://www.beastskills.com/one-legged-squat-the-pistol/
  • lreyenga
    lreyenga Posts: 37
    Ah. It does sound like the skater squat. Thanks for the video! I think I am a ways from needed extra weight on this one :)

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