Opinions/Reasons on best single leg exercise?

**FriendlyFire** · Posted On: 10/04/2010 2:33pm

The big three I am looking at are lunges, step-ups, and single leg squats (any others welcome of course). I want to incorporate some single leg work, but all three would be a very heavy work load. It crossed my mind I could rotate through them for more variety, but I'm not to sure about that.

**Permalost** · Posted On: 10/04/2010 4:28pm

In one of the kung fu forms I used to know, there was a part near the beginning with a one legged squat from a front kick position, and I found it useful to build up to it by standing next to something you can grab/stabilize with like a chair, staff of secured rope. That way you could assist the motion with the upper body.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 10/04/2010 9:41pm

For what reason in particular do you want to use single leg work?

**Jorel** · Posted On: 10/05/2010 12:11am

I've added hand rail pistols, and some various plyometrics. Good for quick explosive movements. Here is a clip more than a few in parkour. YouTube - Lowerbody Conditioning for Parkour

**FriendlyFire** · Posted On: 10/05/2010 9:59pm

My reasons are my leg work at this point is just squat and dead lifts (Hang cleans too but those are not done with them) . It will be an accessory lift to add some variety primarily. Ideally it would improve my squats and dead lifts as well by working my legs in a new way. It has worked for me before. Triangle pull ups helped my bar bell row and chins increase.

A full set of plyometrics is too much, I am just talking one lift. Single leg squats seem to be the most popular, and I know they are awesome, however I am leaning towards lunges for something less intense after other work and farther away from squats.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 10/05/2010 10:35pm

Are you stalling on your squats and deadlifts? And do you feel it's as a result of a unilateral weakness?

**CarlosJesena** · Posted On: 10/06/2010 4:11am

Bulgarian Split Squats?

**FriendlyFire** · Posted On: 10/06/2010 11:54pm

Stalling, yes and no. I am an atypical hard gainer. Over a long time frame I have made steady progress, but it is slow and usually involves 2 steps forwards one step back. Recently I feel like I have stepped backwards. Unilateral weakness? Probably not, but that doesn't mean it couldn't help.

**Prince Vlad** · Posted On: 10/07/2010 4:43am

I had problems with my knees and lower back which kept me away from squats for a long time. Got things cleared up and jump started my leg strength by doing deep squats to a seated position on a low step, pausing a second then exploding up (start light for safety and form and use a safety cage). That plus single leg step ups with knee raise onto a bench while holding plates really sorted my leg strength out.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 10/07/2010 7:25am

Originally Posted by FriendlyFire

Stalling, yes and no. I am an atypical hard gainer. Over a long time frame I have made steady progress, but it is slow and usually involves 2 steps forwards one step back. Recently I feel like I have stepped backwards. Unilateral weakness? Probably not, but that doesn't mean it couldn't help.

It doesn't mean it couldn't help, no, but using that logic you could also be doing dynamic effort, Soviet linear periodization, bloc periodization conjugate periodization, forced negatives, supersets, drop sets, etc etc.

Don't try to fix a weakness that doesn't exist. Find out what exactly is causing your lifting to fail and address that. If you ARE a hardgainer as you say, then you should be aware that hard gainers respond to LESS volume, not more. This is why Stuart McRobert is big on abbreviated training in "Brawn", a book written explicitly for the hard gainer.

What routine are you on, and how is your progressing on it?