Single-Leg Squat Instruction.

The squat is one of the finest exercises on the planet. It stimulates all the major muscles in the legs – the quads, hamstrings and glutes. Once you’ve mastered squatting with both legs – no easy feat – and the one-leg box squat, the single-leg squat is a way to progress even further.

Adopting a single-leg stance can spark new muscle growth in the targeted leg, in addition to aiding your mobility, co-ordination and core stability. It also helps programme your body to keep a straight back (neutral spine to those in the know), which will carry great benefits into other exercises. Here’s how you to perform a single-leg squat.

How To Do A Single-Leg Squat

Stand on one foot and squat as low as you can, making sure your knee doesn’t go in front of your toes. Pause at the bottom, then push back up through your heel, squeezing your glutes as you go.

Single-Leg Squat Rep Guide

• Beginner: 10 reps each leg
• Intermediate: 15 reps each leg
• Advanced: 20 reps each leg

Single-Leg Squat Progressions

You can also progress this advanced exercise by using dumbbells or a barbell. If you do the latter, rest your non-squatting leg on a bench for safety and stability purposes.