Kamal Singh CSCS: When one beats two with single leg training

Is having way more single leg exercises than squats a bad thing? It’s actually a healthier way of working out

A beginning gym goer is repeatedly told, “Squats are the best exercises for getting strong and putting on muscle”. Lots of gurus have made their entire careers promoting squats, more squats and even more squats. But for some trainees, squats may not be ideal because of injuries and other physical limitations, for some squats may not even be practicable because of a lack of a proper gym. When I started training people many moons ago, I was firmly in the “Squats or Die” camp. I would look down on those people who would not or could not squat! But now that I am older and wiser (!), I no longer think like that. My programs have way more single leg exercises than squats and I do believe my trainees are as strong if not stronger and healthier than before.

Single leg exercises can be seen as dynamic flexibility exercises (Shutterstock)

Single leg training—the real deal

For way too long, trainers and trainees have bought this myth that nothing can replace squats but most single leg exercises beat squats any day. Let me list the reasons why single leg exercises are so good and should form the mainstay of any training program:

•Without realising it, we spend most our time on one leg—walking, running is one limb at a time, thus the better idea is to train one leg at a time.

•Single limb training does not require squat racks or spotters. In fact, most of these exercises are intense enough as body weight exercises. They can be easily loaded by using dumbbells and kettlebells.

•Single leg exercises can be seen as dynamic flexibility exercises. You load the working limb and the other one is being actively stretched.

•The weak point in the squats are not the leg muscles but rather the lower back! You can very easily test this by using the leg press. Most people can easily leg press more weight that they can squat. Funnily enough most people are worried about their knees while squatting but do not know that more lower backs get tweaked by squats and not their knees. Single leg exercises target the leg muscles while sparing the lower back.

•Single leg exercises also help in improving balance. For the older trainees, this is an important bio-motor quality to be trained. Single leg exercises improve balance in a more functional manner than if a Bosu ball is used. Undertrained glute muscles – Medius and Minimus also get hit more by single leg exercises. It is a total win-win all through.

•Single leg exercises are better for improving the strength imbalance between the limbs. Bilateral exercises like squats do not load both the limbs equally—the stronger side tends to be loaded more. With single leg exercises both sides get loaded equally.

Lunges are the easiest to do and should be included in a training program (Shutterstock)

Different single leg exercises

There are so many different leg exercises and these can be rotated into a training program with great ease. Most people will be able to do most of them easily with very little coaching and practice. There is a list from the easiest to the hardest:

1.Lunges: These are the easiest to do and should be included in a training program. Front lunges, side lunges, reverse lunges are most commonly used. Walking lunges are slightly more advanced and should be left for the intermediate trainee.

2.Step ups: They are an excellent variation but not utilized enough. You can easily change the intensity by increasing the height of the box.

3.Rear front elevated split squat aka Bulgarian split squat: Harder to do as balance is really challenged in this exercise. Start with a low box like an aerobic step and then go to a higher box or bench.

4.Pistols: This is probably the hardest of all single leg exercises to do. It really challenges mobility and strength at the same time. Start with a higher box and then go lower.

Bilateral exercises like the Squat are needed if you compete in sport like Powerlifting or Olympic Weightlifting. Otherwise, you can easily substitute any of the above unilateral exercises and reap the many benefits of the lower body training. We need to understand that there are no compulsory exercises. We should be focusing on the benefits of a particular movement and not which exercise is the “best”. Now go and load the bar.

Kamal Singh is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist who has been coaching for 15 years.

From HT Brunch, October 31, 2021

Follow us on twitter.com/HTBrunch

Connect with us on facebook.com/hindustantimesbrunch