5 Single Leg Exercises You Might Not Have Tried Before

While squats, deadlifts, and hip thrusts seem to be getting most of the hype, single leg exercises are extremely beneficial, and should be an integral part of your training program. This week I shared 5 single leg exercises you might not have seen before

#1) Single Leg Hip Lift + Leg Curl Combo

This awesome exercise combines a single leg hip lift and a single leg hamstring curl. This exercise strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, and helps improve grip strength.

Meghan performing Single Leg Deficit Hip Thrust Hamstring Curl Combo

Key Points:

Adopt your preferred hand width. Draw each shoulder blade in towards the spine and down towards the opposite hip. Maintain this position for the duration of the set.
Extend your hips with your posterior chain muscles (especially the glutes), not by arching your back.
Once you’ve extended your hips, your body should be in a straight line from your knee to shoulders.
Now perform a single leg hamstring curl and pull your body forward using your hamstring. Once your knee is over your heel, perform the reverse movements and return your body to the starting position.
On the way down, only go to a range where you can maintain proper form. Do not let your back hyperextend or ribcage flare. Your torso and hips should move as a single unit (I like to use a canister analogy).
Even though this is a single leg exercise, make sure you engage your glutes and core muscles on both sides of your body as this will help keep your hips and torso level.
Be mindful of your breathing, bracing, and rib positioning.
Start out with the double leg variation and see how this feels.

#2) Lateral Step-Ups

This step-up variation strengthens the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, and also helps improve balance. Holding the weight on one side of the body also makes this a challenging anti-lateral flexion core stability exercise. With this kind of step-up, your body will travel in both a vertical and lateral path, which will make the exercise more challenging.

Meghan performing Lateral Step-Ups

Key Points:

Stand so a box is by your side (instead of in front of you), and place one foot on the box. Your outer/non-working leg should be farther away from the box than when you are performing regular step-ups.
Establish a tripod foot base. The weight should be on the mid to back of your foot, and all of your toes should be in contact with the box, especially the big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning your foot to the box.
While your body will travel in both a vertical and lateral plane when you are performing the majority of this movement, when you are approaching the top position and are locking out, your body should only travel in a vertical plane. The same applies when you are descending and have planted your foot on the floor
The leg that is on the box should be doing the majority of the work. Do not cheat by pushing off with the leg that is on the floor. One trick I like to employ is to pick up the toes on the non-working side, and to never allow them to touch the floor (or the inside of the shoe). This will make cheating slightly more challenging. Aim to touch the floor with your non-working side as softly as possible.
For the duration of the movement, your hips should remain level. I like to use a water/wine glass analogy. Do not let the water/wine spill out the side of the glass.
For the duration of the movement, the knee of your working leg should remain in line with your toes. Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
Be mindful of your breathing, bracing, and rib positioning.

#3) Single Leg Barbell Deadlifts + Band Resistance

This exercise strengthens the hamstrings and glutes, and also helps improve balance. I’ve added additional band resistance. In this particular variation, the band will offer the most resistance during the initial portion of the eccentric component, and during the lockout. While you may make the exercise even tougher by using a band with more resistance, believe me, what I am using here is extremely tough!

Meghan performing Single Leg Barbell RDL’s + Band Resistance

Key Points:

Position a resistance band so it is under your mid foot, and is around the center of the barbell.
Establish a tripod foot base. The weight should be on the mid to back of your foot, and all of your toes should be in contact with the floor, especially the big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning your foot to the floor.
Engage your lats, keep your arms rigid, and drive them into your sides. Pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
Perform the movement by hinging your hips. You can pretend that a rope is around your hips and is gently pulling them backwards, or you can pretend that you are pushing your hips against a wall that is behind you. Do not perform the movement by rounding your spine, squatting, collapsing your chest to the ground, or a combination.
Aim to “paint” your shin with the barbell. In other words, the barbell should never drift ahead of your body.
When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and return to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates. Go to a range where you can maintain proper form.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstring and extend your hips, and extend your knee. Do not hyperextend your lower back or flare your ribcage.
Keep your non-working leg close to the midline of your body. You may either keep this leg extended, and your foot dorsiflexed, or you may keep the knee of this leg bent at a 90 degree angle.
Even though this is a single leg exercise, make sure you engage your glutes and core muscles on both sides of your body as this will help keep your hips and torso level, and body square to the floor.
Be mindful of your breathing, bracing, and rib positioning.

#4) Single Leg Isometric Glute Bridge + Kettlebell Lowering

This exercise involves performing a single leg isometric glute bridge, while simultaneously lowering the opposite leg towards the floor, and extending your arms backwards while holding on to a weight. This exercise strengthens the muscles of the glutes and the anterior core, develops lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.

Key Points:

Keep your shin in a relatively vertical position, or else your hamstring might take over.
You may lift your toes if this allows you to feel more glutes (and less quads if you are).
Extend your hips with your posterior chain muscles (especially the glutes), not by arching your back. Keep your hips elevated and level for the duration of the set.
Extend your other leg so it is in a vertical position. Straighten your knee, and point your foot towards you (dorsiflex). If you lack the hamstring flexibility, you may keep your knee in a bent position, but whatever joint angle you adopt, maintain this angle for the duration of the exercise.
Contract the muscles of your anterior core as hard as you can, and slowly lower your leg and arms to a range that allows you to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, return your leg and arms back to the starting position.
Even though this is a single leg exercise, make sure you engage your glutes and core muscles on both sides of your body as this will help keep your hips and torso level.
For the duration of the set, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or your torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
For the duration of the set, your knee should remain in a fixed position. Do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.
Never disengage the muscles in your upper body, and only lower the kettlebell(s) to a range where you can maintain proper form.
Be mindful of your breathing, bracing, and rib positioning.

#5) Single Leg Ball Hamstring Curls

Ok, you have likely seen this exercise before, but have you tried it? This exercise strengthens the hamstrings and glutes.

Meghan performing Single Leg Ball Hamstring Curls

Key Points:

Place your foot so it is in the center of a stability ball (or roller).
Extend your hips with your posterior chain muscles (especially the glutes), not by arching your back. Keep your hips elevated for the duration of the set.
Bend the knee of your non-working leg, and keep your thigh relatively close to your body.
Slowly extend your knee and roll the ball to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Once you hit your end range, perform the reverse movement and return the ball to the starting position.
Your hamstring muscles should be performing and controlling these movements. Never disengage your muscles, and do not allow your knee to hyperextend.
Even though this is a single leg exercise, make sure you engage your glutes and core muscles on both sides of your body as this will help keep your hips and torso level.
For the duration of the set, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribcage to flare, or your torso, spine, or hips to rotate.
Keep your arms relaxed. Do not anchor your body to the ground with your upper body.