I have seen a few post mention this exercise, does it really exsist? It can’t imagine someone doing box squats with one leg.
perhaps they were referring to “bulgarian squats” where its like a lunge except you just have your back foot on a “box” and you squat down.
they are way too dangerous to be doing with an effective amount of weight. Just think about it, you lose your balance and your weight shifts to the side, BAM! there go your precious knee tendons.
Thanks guys. I had serious doubts that this was an actual exercise and I couldn’t find it anywhere on the internet when I did a search.
[quote]TTewell342 wrote:
they are way too dangerous to be doing with an effective amount of weight. Just think about it, you lose your balance and your weight shifts to the side, BAM! there go your precious knee tendons.[/quote]
Bulgarian squats?
No, I do them w/ a straight bar or dumbells. I’ve never had a problem w/ it. In fact, I’m going to do some on Sat.
[quote]Robert Monti wrote:
No, I do them w/ a straight bar or dumbells. I’ve never had a problem w/ it. In fact, I’m going to do some on Sat. [/quote]
Robert,
Are you talking about Bulgarian squats or one legged box squats?
One legged Box squats, as in Westside style squatting on my right leg only. I can’t do it w/ very much weight but I recruit a hell of a lot. Stretch the hips and chest well before hand as well as the hammy of the leg that’s resting.
I routinely perform pistol squats to a low box. I cannot go any lower yet, as it torques my knee to much, but I am decreasing the height of the box gradually, and hope to get to the point where I don’t need the box.
[quote]sam747 wrote:
TTewell342 wrote:
they are way too dangerous to be doing with an effective amount of weight. Just think about it, you lose your balance and your weight shifts to the side, BAM! there go your precious knee tendons.
Bulgarian squats?
[/quote]
If that’s the name of them, yes. Like the one legged lunge/squat. Maybe for bodybuilders or athletes it would be ok for higher reps, but you wouldn’t be able to use heavy weight on it. I’ve seen some misquided high school football players doing these and wobbling all around and it made me cringe. Just do heavy squats! Plain and simple.
One-legged squat sits are actually a great exercise.
[quote]TTewell342 wrote:
sam747 wrote:
TTewell342 wrote:
they are way too dangerous to be doing with an effective amount of weight. Just think about it, you lose your balance and your weight shifts to the side, BAM! there go your precious knee tendons.
Bulgarian squats?
If that’s the name of them, yes. Like the one legged lunge/squat. Maybe for bodybuilders or athletes it would be ok for higher reps, but you wouldn’t be able to use heavy weight on it. I’ve seen some misquided high school football players doing these and wobbling all around and it made me cringe. Just do heavy squats! Plain and simple.[/quote]
They seem like they would be good if you had a leg imbalance and needed some unilateral work.
[quote]Robert Monti wrote:
One legged Box squats, as in Westside style squatting on my right leg only. I can’t do it w/ very much weight but I recruit a hell of a lot. Stretch the hips and chest well before hand as well as the hammy of the leg that’s resting. [/quote]
Robert,
Are you pulling my leg or are you serious? Is this something Westside does? How do you keep your balance?
Sounds good w/ DB’s.
anyone got Pavel’s “Naked Warrior”?
some guys are doing pistols with kettleballs (and no box, just ass to the ground)
if you haven’t done one legged squat before, i’d recommend you give it a try… without any weight at first though…
Robert,
Are you pulling my leg or are you serious? Is this something Westside does? How do you keep your balance? [/quote]
I did read about one lifter doing them at Westside. I keep my balance my keeping the tempo under control and really “corkscrewing” my foot into the ground on the way up and focusing on keeping my head and chest up. This is not to brag because I definateley cannot do one-legged squat sans box w/out falling over backwards.
Give it a shot w/ a high box and work you way down. Use only the bar for resistance and balance and you’ll see what I mean.
I could see doing a split (King) squat down to a box. The box would be positioned not to touch the non-working leg; i.e. under the butt-cheek of the working side only. However, I do split squats not well.
A few weeks ago I was stuck in a hotel room and did these for my workout They are pretty hard. I was fried by the 5th or 6th set. These with Band GM’s and pull throughs made a great workout.
Will42
[quote]Robert Monti wrote:
Robert,
Are you pulling my leg or are you serious? Is this something Westside does? How do you keep your balance?
I did read about one lifter doing them at Westside. I keep my balance my keeping the tempo under control and really “corkscrewing” my foot into the ground on the way up and focusing on keeping my head and chest up. This is not to brag because I definateley cannot do one-legged squat sans box w/out falling over backwards.
Give it a shot w/ a high box and work you way down. Use only the bar for resistance and balance and you’ll see what I mean. [/quote]
Robert,
I will have to give these a try. Thanks.
The one legged box squat as I have seen it referenced is like the one mentioned in Pavel’s Naked Warrior and promoted by Michael Boyle in his Functional Training for Athletes.An excellent demonstration of leg strength, Boyle uses it as a “demonsration” of leg strength vs a test of actual performance strength.He has his athletes perform the exercise with 2 5lbs dumbbells as counterbalances.Boyle teaches the progressions to get from lunges to the pistol/single leg squat in his text.
For those who want to be powerful AND injury resistant I would take the time to learn it.It is pretty impressive to see Steve Cotter perform pistols for 15 reps holding two 70 lbs kettlebells to rock bottom…