Squat

[TkdWarrior]

Originally posted by rubthebuddha
are you fellas concerned with how far out in front of you the knee gets when doing single-leggies, or is there something i don't know about squatting with one leg that would fix this?

i think they even get far out while doin simple squats..
-TkdWarrior-

[Ford Prefect]

You should always keep you shin perpendicular to the ground while squatting. Having your knee drift forward as it will in any butt-to-heel squatting movement can damage your knees badly. Some people can do this without a problem. Some people can't. The margin of error when squatting rock bottom is very small as well. Personally, I think it's best not to find out...

[Mr. Bao]

If doing single leg squats hurt your knee, it means you don't have enough core strength or that your legs aren't ready for this exercises, and/or that your techniques in squat is poor.

If you can do 300 body weight squats in good form (neutral spine and embracing your core and having good balance and proper lower body aligment), you should be able to do single leg squats. But much of it comes from proper core strength and flexibility.

Single leg squats works also your abs/lower back. It is a very functional lower body execise. In wing chun, we build our stance (ma) and kicking power from this kind of exercises, there is more but that is like top secret. lol.

[ElPietro]

I don't know what the obsession with single legged squats are. But if you are just concerned with muscle development, then they are no better than any other squat.

Also, doing 300 bodyweight squats seems rather pointless to me. You definitely don't need to do that to get anywhere with squatting.

Mastering your body is fine, but your muscles really don't care where the stimulus comes from, as long as it's working the tissue. Weighted movements give you a means to track your progress, and also allow you to increase weight rather easily.

A rack is ideal for squatting, but you could squat with dumbells in your hands instead. You could still use a barbell and use weight that you can powerclean, and then just powerclean the bar and do front squats.

Regular squats will work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, lowerback, hip flexors, abdominals, etc. There is nothing magical about single leg squats. If you insist on doing them, you can do them beside a bench and put your other foot on the bench for stability if you like. If you are doing them for balance that's fine...but it's not like it's better or worse than anything else.

Your knees should generally not pass your toes. The objective of a squat, is to sit back. I find it easier sometimes to go deeper with weight on my back, then with bodyweight.

[Ford Prefect]

El Pietro is correct. Single Leg squats are more of an exercise in balance than in muscular strength.

[tiger2dragon]

I agree with El Pietro and I am a personal trainer. Squats beat all for strength

[Mr. Bao]

Can I asked why you are barbell/dumbell and squat is better than doing body weight squat? By the way, I am a personal trainer as well.

If someone can squat heavy can they jump like MJ? If you take someone who has mastered the single leg squat vs someone who think it is for only for balance, I bet dollors to donuts that the person who can do single leg squats has more "functional strength" than the body builder who squats.

Here is a question for the personal trainers here. I am a martial artist, I want to improve my lower body strength. What kind of exercises do you recommend and why?

[tiger2dragon]

As the old saying goes for the number of people out there training, there is just as many techniques and theories and all are right.

Squating with a proper stretching program will stimulate more muscle growth. Muscle need to be pushed to grow, they have to be broken down, to do this they need more load put on them. Only when there is more load will strength increase.

1 legged is great and does do a job but it does not and cannot stimulate more muscle cells, to create the break down and growth to take place. Of all the clinical studies done squats have always come out ahead in muscle stimulation and overall body workout, if done properly. You need more resistance (weight) to build muscle strength.
But it will not help kicks unless done with a good stretching program.

[Ford Prefect]

If someone can squat heavy can they jump like MJ? If you take someone who has mastered the single leg squat vs someone who think it is for only for balance, I bet dollors to donuts that the person who can do single leg squats has more "functional strength" than the body builder who squats.

Tests done at the Mexico City Olympics show that Olypmic Weightlifters have the fastest 30 yard sprint and highest vertical leap (even more so that high jumpers) out of all the athletes there. This is because of the ballistic nature of the lifts which causes a much greater percentage of muscle fibers to fire. This translates over to explosiveness. So... YES! If you can squat heavy and practice in an explosive manner, than your vertical will go way up.

1 legged squat vs barbell squat argument almost makes me laugh. It is just for balance. I was a bodyweight advocate at one point. When I started squatting heavy, guess what? Doing one-legged squats was much easier. Use your head. If you can squat 600 lbs with two legs, then why would a one-legged squat of your 200 lbs frame do a thing?

[Mr. Bao]

Ford:

If you read my earlier posts I have said people should master their body weight first before they start using resistence exercises. You seem to have developed a firmed foundation in mastering your body weight from what your wrote, then went to convention power lifting. That is good and what I am telling people to do. I am also a firm believer in periodization and knowing how to cycle exerices, volume, and load.

But think about this and even test this out. If people did the reverse, started with power lifting/ body building then try to perform single leg squats, single arm push ups or chin, I bet you they can not. But this is only if they haven't master the fundamentals of developing their body weight first.

I do not think power lifting is bad, but people should mastery the basics first and go to lifting weight. They is many ways to do single leg squats that could develop and command true functional strength. I suggest you check it out some.

[abobo]

Well, chin ups are usually a staple of bodybuilding / weight training programs. Powerlifting is much more specific, and doesn't need that type of pull. An athlete with a weight training program could conceivably work up to a one armed pullup.

[rubthebuddha]

still waiting for a description of proper one-legged squat form. does the knee in use come move forward as the body wait lowers, or does the body weight move back more to keep the shin vertical?

as was stated earlier, having the shin lean more forward than perpendicular to the ground (or having the knee go out in front of the toe, depending on the standard) is overly stressingfor the typical person's knee joint and will cause damage.

anyone know of a link to a good visual demonstration, either a clip or pictures, of a proper one-legged squat?

[vingtsunstudent]

RTB
go to this site http://www.msnusers.com/PhiladelphiaareaKettlebellClub
click on the documents( you have to sign up, which costs nothing and only takes a couple of seconds) and you will find some brief vides of one legged squats.
vts

[rubthebuddha]

vts -- just what i wanted, and more. many thanks.

[Ford Prefect]

Hi Mr. Bao,

I see where you are coming from and I'd agree that master your body weight is a very good idea before training with weights. I've actually spoken with Dave Tate (of Westside Barbell) about this and he agrees as well. It builds a great a foundation to build off.

I just don't think it is necessary. I think after a certain time of lifting weights, the trainee will be strong enough and neurologically capable to pick of the bodyweight stuff quickly. I think Yoga or a martial art is a great addition to a weight lifters regimen because they stress balance and stability in ways that a lifter is lacking.