Single-leg Split Squats on a Bench Shape Your Thighs for Summer

By Stephen E. Alway, Ph.D., FACSM

After the seemingly hours of cardio you did all winter, you might think your thighs don’t need much refining for the quickly approaching summer season. However, the thighs and hips may not be particularly firm unless they get a direct hit on a semi regular basis. That does not mean that you need to engage in endless sets of leg presses or squats, although those are pretty great exercises. Instead, to break up your routine, you might consider single-leg squats as an excellent alternative to almost every thigh exercise.

Not only will this exercise build thigh strength and shape, it will also develop an unprecedented level of balance better than any other leg exercise. However, the added balance component makes the single-leg bench squat much more difficult to perform than the normal squats or leg presses. If you are just starting out, you don’t even need extra weight. But after a while, you can add 10- to 15-pound dumbbells to each hand and you will start to see your thighs explode with firmness and shape.

Execution of Single-leg Squat on Bench

1. Stand in front of a flat bench with your hands to the sides. Stand facing away from bench. Flex the knee of one limb and place the top of foot on the bench behind you. Keep your hands on your hips to maintain your balance and body position.

2. Keep your torso upright. Flex the knee and hip of the support leg and squat down so the knee of the rear leg on the bench flexes and almost makes contact with the floor. The front knee should point in the same direction as the foot throughout the entire movement.

3. Return to original standing position by extending hip and knee of the forward leg. Since the gluteus maximus and hamstring muscles are strong hip (thigh) extensors, they are most active during the upward push of the single-leg squat and therefore, training these muscles will improve your overall leg power. Repeat the sequence until the desired number of repetitions is done with the first leg (e.g., 12 repetitions).

4. Rest briefly, then switch to the other leg. Repeat the same one-leg squat sequence.

5. Inhale on the way down and exhale on the way up in each squat.

As you get stronger, you can take a light dumbbell in each hand, and when 15 repetitions gets easy you can go up a little in resistance, but do not feel compelled to grab heavy dumbbells for this exercise.

It will only take a few sets of 15 repetitions before you will begin to feel the intensive difference from other exercises. This exercise is strict but safe, yet you will have to be careful that you maintain good balance throughout the exercise, especially as you start to fatigue. While the exercise is not easy, your legs should not feel so devastated that you feel the need to crawl out of the gym either. This exercise is effective without killing you, and that is the best way to see the transformation to an amazing lower body before summer.

Illustrations by William P. Hamilton, CMI

References:
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