Assisted One-Leg Squats
This is a valuable step where the user has to balance and squat on one-leg.
Hold your horses, Nelly. Slow and steady wins the race, so we’re going to assist yourselves through the movement!
In this manner, we will get a taste of the raw strength and balance necessary for One-Leg Squats while allowing our weak links to be identified and developed through assistance!
Finding something around waist height to assist yourself is a good start.
Some may also like using a pole or tree to assist themselves. This is usually a little more difficult.
Standards
LEVEL 1: 2 Sets of 5 (Both Sides)
LEVEL 2: 2 Sets of 9 (Both Sides)
LEVEL 3: 2 Sets of 12 (Both Sides)
Do 2 Sets of as many as you can. The levels above are standards you can use to measure your progress. Rest 2-3 minutes between Sets. Doing 2 Sets Per Side means 4 sets total (2 focusing on your left leg, and 2 focusing on your right leg). Start with your weak leg first.
If you struggle to hit Level 1 after a few weeks of trying, try using a few of the Regressions shown below.
Once you can do 2 Sets of 12 (Level 3) on both sides with GOOD FORM, you are ready to move on to a harder Squat variation.
Form Cues
The standard for this exercise is assisting yourself with something around waist height. This can be Gymnastic Rings or a stable railing or table. Assist yourself with whatever you can to get started!
One-Leg Squats look better with your assisting leg straight and parallel with the ground at the bottom of the movement. While this is a good workout for your hip flexors, it’s not necessary to get started. Try to keep it off to the ground, and work on getting your leg straighter and more mobile over time.
Work one side at a time during a set. This train your working muscles to operate under constant tension.
Try to keep your back neutral throughout the exercise. This means don’t arch or round your back. This may take some work if you’re not used to it, but you should make progress over time. Your lower back may round at the very bottom. This is usually fine.
Film yourself and watch back between sets
As we are building up progressively, it is okay for your knees to go over your toes. Doing this with an exercise we can competently handle will strengthen our joints in tandem with our muscles.
Tutorial
Stand in a safe area in front of Gymnastic Rings or a stable assisting platform.
Grab the assisting platform with your hands and raise one leg off the ground. Both legs should be straight.
Squat down slowly on your back leg until your hamstrings are pressed against your calves and you are unable to descend any further.
Pause for 1 Second.
Slowly come back up.
Pause for 1 Second.
Repeat 3-6.
Progression & Regression
To make this exercise easier: Assisting more with your arms will make this exercise easier. Having the assisting platform closer will make this easier.
To make this exercise harder: Assisting less with your arms will make this exercise harder. You can try assisting with one arm at a time to better gauge this.