5 Advanced Single Leg Squatting Exercises You CAN Do At Home -

Working out at home CAN be challenging, effective, and fun. I will hazard a guess that a lot of the “strong people” who scoff at bodyweight training will struggle to perform these exercises;). Here are 5 deceptively tough and awesome single leg squatting exercises you can do anywhere.

All of these exercises strengthen the quads, hamstrings and glutes, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg. While all of these exercises are already very challenging, I spiced several up by using a slower tempo, or by adding band resistance.

#1) Pistol Squats While Holding Foot

Here is an advanced pistol squat variation. If you can’t fully extend your non-working leg, hold your toes but keep your knee bent and in a fixed position.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, extend your knee, contract your quads, and hold onto your forefoot/toes.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Perform a pistol squat. Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, press away from the floor and return to the starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Also, in many instances it is perfectly all right if your knee is above, or even slightly in front of your toes. The key is that you do not allow your weight to shift to the front of your foot, and your heel must not leave the ground.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.

Maintain control at all times.

#2) Negative Band Resisted Skater Squats

Skater squats are one of my favorite lower body squatting exercises. In this variation you will add band resistance, and will use a negative tempo. This will make the exercise significantly more challenging. If you are unable to perform pistol squats, or if they do not feel good, skater squats are a great option!

Coaching Tips:

Place a resistance band over your upper traps, and under your mid foot. There should be resistance in the band for as close to 100% of the exercise as possible, but you will likely notice the most resistance during the initial component of the lowering, and at the very top during the lockout.

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, keep it bent and close to the midline of your body. Contract your hamstrings and glutes on this side.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Extend both of your arms. But if you are holding a weight, keep it tight to your chest.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Perform a single leg squat and lower in 3 to 5 seconds. Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, press away from the floor and return to the starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Also, in many instances it is perfectly all right if your knee is above, or even slightly in front of your toes. The key is that you do not allow your weight to shift to the front of your foot, and your heel must not leave the floor.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.

Maintain control at all times.

Are you looking to do your first pistol squat ever and have been really frustrated with your lack of progress? Or can you already do pistol squats but want to improve your form, increase your reps, and learn more advanced variations? If so, The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program is for YOU! Being followed by people of all genders in at least 25 countries. Great for home AND gym workouts!

LEARN MORE

#3) Negative 1.5 Rep Pistol Squats

In this pistol squat variation, you will make the exercise more challenging by using a negative 1.5 tempo.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, extend your knee, contract your quads, and plantarflex your foot (point it away from you).

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Extend both of your arms. But if you are holding a weight, keep it tight to your chest.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Perform a pistol squat and take 3-5 seconds to perform the lowering/eccentric component. Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, stand halfway up, squat back down to the bottom position using a regular tempo, then press away from the floor and return to the starting position. This is one rep.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Also, in many instances it is perfectly all right if your knee is above, or even slightly in front of your toes. The key is that you do not allow your weight to shift to the front of your foot, and your heel must not leave the ground.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

Maintain control at all times.

#4) Negative Shrimp Squats

This is a really unique and challenging single leg squatting exercise. You will make the exercise more challenging by using a negative tempo.

Coaching Tips:

Place a pillow or pad of some kind behind your front/planted foot. Use a height that allows you to perform the exercise using proper form.

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, keep it bent and close to the midline of your body. Contract your hamstrings and glutes on this side. Hold this leg with your hand that is on the same side of your body, like if you were doing a quad stretch.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Perform a squat and take 3-5 seconds to perform the lowering component, and lightly touch your knee to the pillow/pad. Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, press away from the floor and return to the starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Also, in many instances it is perfectly all right if your knee is above, or even slightly in front of your toes. The key is that you do not allow your weight to shift to the front of your foot, and your heel must not leave the ground.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.

Maintain control at all times.

#5) Dragon Pistol Squats

This is an advanced pistol squat variation. If you cannot perform this exercise without your foot on the non-squatting side striking the floor, you may modify by elevating your foot on a box, step, or other surface. This was not my prettiest rep ever, but it is good enough to share:).

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. As for the non-working leg, keep it bent and close to the midline of your body. Contract your hamstrings and glutes on this side.

Form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Extend both of your arms.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).

Perform a pistol squat. When you are performing the squat, unlike during regular pistol squat variations, you want to lean to the side. So if you are squatting using your left leg, you want to lean your body to the right.

Once you are about halfway to the bottom position, bring the knee on the opposite side to the outside of your working leg, and fully extend this leg so you are now in the bottom pistol squat.

Once you hit a range where you are able to maintain proper form, perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.

Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot. Also, in many instances it is perfectly all right if your knee is above, or even slightly in front of your toes. The key is that you do not allow your weight to shift to the front of your foot, and your heel must not leave the ground.

Exhale after you have pressed away from the floor and are approaching the top position.

Maintain control at all times.

Get STRONG hip flexors, improve your mobility and athleticism! Getting your hip flexors STRONGER might be the missing link to helping you function, perform, and feel better in the gym, with your running, your sport, and even in your daily life. For “experienced beginners” to advanced trainees, and also coaches. Great for home AND gym workouts!

LEARN MORE