I’m sharing a list of my very favorite, and what I consider to be the best, single leg exercises! I hope this post inspires you to include more unilateral training in your routine.
Hello hello! How are you doing today? I hope you are having a great week so far!
For today, let’s talk about fitness. Single leg exercises are one of my favorite elements to include in lower body workouts. Simple exercises are – you guessed it – exercises that only use one side of your lower body at a time. Leg strength is important no matter what sport you choose or fitness mode you enjoy. Strong legs support our daily movements and ability to perform, and focusing on one leg at a time can have many benefits. In today’s post, I’m sharing a collection of the best single leg exercises that can help you get the most out of your legs.
(Set provided by Voori. I love everything on their website, esp their leggings and jogger.)
Why train unilaterally?
It’s SO easy to use bilateral exercises to *rely* on our stronger side. Think of a barbell bicep curl versus a dumbbell curl. With the barbell, you’ll be lifting the weight without the real ability to determine if the weight is equally distributed between the sides. Your stronger side will always help you complete the rep, which can make muscle imbalances go unnoticed. By training one side at a time, like with a dumbbell curl, you can really focus on building strength on the weaker side. This will not only promote muscle symmetry, but also potentially prevent shifting movements that depend on stronger sides of the body.
Here are some of my favorite single leg exercises to include on leg day! As always, consult a doctor before making any fitness changes. Honor your body and modify as needed.
The best exercises for one leg
Single Leg Deadlift (aka Single-leg RDL)
Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell, shift your weight to your left leg, then leave your right leg off the floor behind you. Keeping your weight on your front leg, hinge at the waist and lean forward, keeping your back straight, until the weight is just below the knees (or as far as you can go while maintaining a flat back). Keep your right leg straight behind you. Exhale and return to a standing position. Repeat with your other leg. Make sure to keep your hips parallel to the floor and look straight ahead throughout this leg workout.
Bulgarian split squat
If you’re not familiar with this, think of it as a more challenging reverse step. Stand in front of a bench or sturdy chair, then place one foot on top. Keep your hips and shoulders facing forward and your posture upright as you bend your front knee. Push all the way through your front leg and exhale to stand up. Don’t worry too much about keeping your front knee stacked over your ankle—if you have the flexibility in your ankle, it can move forward a bit past your toes—but instead, focus on keep your torso upright and sink DOWN instead of forward. Another tip: I like to curl my back toes on the bench so the top of my foot or shoe is facing down. This puts more emphasis on the working leg.
Single Leg Hip Raise (aka Glute Bridge)
Start on your back with your legs bent and your feet on the floor. Lift one leg off the floor and press your heel toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes to lift your hips, keeping your upper back pressed into the floor and hips parallel to the floor. Lower to the floor (don’t touch it!), exhale and rise again. Continue for all reps, then switch legs.
Single leg calf raise
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and rise onto your toes. Lift one leg and gently wrap your leg behind the leg that is still on the ground. Lower your heel toward the ground, but don’t let it touch the floor between reps to maintain tension in your calf. Hold on to a wall or sturdy surface for balance if needed.
Lateral leg raise
Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, shift your weight to one leg as you lift the opposite leg off the floor. Keep your toes pointed forward and use your glutes to lift your leg, lower with control and exhale to lift. For more of a challenge, wear ankle weights.
Hip extension
Start standing with your hips and shoulders straight. Bend one knee slightly and place the opposite foot on the floor behind you. Using your glutes, exhale to lift your back foot off the floor. Return to starting position with control and repeat.
One leg curl
For this part of your workout routine, use the curling machine at the gym or a towel at home. Place a towel on the floor (or a paper plate if you’re doing this on the carpet), lie on your back and place one heel on the towel. With your knees bent and your shoulders pressing down on the floor, lift your hips up, away from the floor, then push the towel forward to straighten that leg (the working leg ). Exhale to bend it toward your hip. Repeat all your reps on one side before switching to the other side.
Seated press with one leg
Start seated on the leg press machine set to 1/3 of your standard leg press weight. Place one leg on the plate, making sure you have about a 90-degree angle with that leg (90-degree angles help prevent both leg and back injuries). Exhale as you press your leg into the plate to straighten, engaging your glutes and hamstrings. Inhale, slowly return to the start and repeat.
One-legged TRX pistol squat or one-legged sit-up
TRX single leg pistol squat: stand away from the TRX base point, holding the straps with both hands. The straps will be straight and your chest will be lifted, with an engaged core. Take one leg off the floor and bend your leg, lifting the leg as high as you can. Inhale to sink into a squat (aim to end up with your knees in a line) and exhale to stand up. Really pay attention to the standing leg and keep it as stable as possible. Buttock compression really helps. If necessary, start with a smaller range of motion.
For the single leg sit squat (if you don’t have a TRX), stand in front of a chair or bench, with the chair or bench about 2-3 feet behind you. Make sure your feet are under your shoulders (hip width or slightly wider is good) and toes are slightly pointed. Focus on sitting comfortably while keeping your chest lifted and core tight. Inhale to lower to touch your booty on the chair, exhale to rise. Do it on one leg with the opposite leg stretched out in front of you
Press out the band of one leg
Start lying on the floor with a loop just above your ankles. Bring your legs over your hips, as if you’re trying to press your heels into the ceiling (legs are bent). Create some tension with the band by pressing outwards. Hold it here, then push one leg out and in, out and in. Complete 15-20 repetitions before switching to the opposite side. This is an awesome gluten activating exercise. Make sure you stay in a comfortable range of motion.
Here’s a quick leg training video I put together with some of my top exercises from the list above:
How often do you use unilateral training in your routine?
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xoxo
Gina
