One Leg Barbell Squat

What it is

This advanced, compound movement challenges your balance and strength by isolating one leg. It primarily targets your quadriceps, while also engaging your glutes, hamstrings, and calves. You will use a barbell and a bench to perform a deep squat on a single leg. This powerful push exercise develops significant lower body power and stability.

Technique tips

• Keep your head up and gaze forward to maintain balance.
• Maintain a straight back and an upright chest throughout the set.
• Inhale as you lower, ensuring your front thigh becomes parallel to the floor.
• Ensure your front knee tracks directly over your toes as you descend.
• Exhale and drive through your front heel to return to the starting position.
• Lightly rest your back foot's toe on the bench; avoid pushing off it.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.