The Single Leg Squat


I said it in my last post and I’ll say it again. The squat is not to be underestimated as an exercise. A good variation of the squat, sometimes called the pistol, involves working one leg at a time - ie, a one legged squat. In their December 2006 issue, Men’s Health had this to say about it:

“The single-leg squat touchdown is one of the most natural athletic movments: You bend at the knees while balancing on one leg. So even if you’ve never done the exercise, you’ll find youself in similar positions in sports. As a timed test, the move measures your ability to stay strongw while keeping a stable base, an important factor in almost any activity, and key to building muscle.”

“Balance on your right leg with your knees slightly bent. Start your stopwatch. Slowly bend you knee to lower your body toward the floor while reaching toward the outside of your right foot with your left hand. Push through your heel and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position, then repeat as many times as you can. Stop the clock when you lose balance and have to stand on both feet. Then restart the clock and repeat on your left leg.”





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