Butt Fact: The glutes are a large muscle group and can be worked 3 to 4 times a week or every other day.
Single-Leg Bench Squats
Like the single-leg deadlift, the single-leg bench squat works on balance, coordination, and stability, as well as strength on both sides of the body. This is an advanced exercise and will quickly show you any muscle imbalance or weakness you might have on either side.
- Stand on one leg about six inches in front of a bench or chair. Your other leg should be angled forward, just off the ground.
- Extend your arms in front of you for balance or position them comfortably bent.
- Squat down by pushing your hips back until you reach the bench. Try to keep your bending knee from going too far forward. Keep your other leg out in front of you.
- Pause and then stand back up and return to the starting position.
- Repeat 15 times on each leg.
I’m working really hard here to keep my hips back and my knee from going past my toes.
Tips:
- The lower the bench, the harder this exercise is. You can start with a taller chair to practice until you get stronger.
- If your balance isn’t good yet, you can position your chair next to a table or surface to hold onto.
- Control your body as you squat so that you sit down slowly onto the bench.
- Don’t let your knee cave inward as you squat.
- Don’t use excessive rocking or momentum to help lift yourself back up.
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For many this is hard. I normally suggest being in a position where they have something to balance themselves with but not to displace their weight. Many people do displace weight.
I agree. It’s hard for me to do properly also. 🙂
In a gym they are easily done on a Smith Machine and can either stick their leg out, put it on a chair or if free weights are good, I simply cross my foot over my knee but most people can’t and shouldn’t do that. 🙂