Dec 5 2010

Exercise Challenge – One Leg Squats

Posted by Zuzana - BodyRock.Tv | In All Workouts, Exercise Challenges, Featured Articles, Today's Workout

Hi BodyRockers,

Today’s workout challenge is one of the best exercises for your butt, legs, core and abs, but it is also really intense looking, which tends to scare people away at first look. Don’t worry – even if you are a complete beginner or you have never done this exercise before I have included 2 different modifications below that will help you get started with this exercise, so that you can get the benefits from this challenge. Eventually as you practice these easier variations, you will develop the strength and agility to do full one leg squats unassisted :)

Workout Breakdown

Time: ?min.Workout Type: exercise challengeExercises: 1
  • One Leg Squat5 sets of 5 reps on each leg

Get your gear for this workout here:

    Instructions:

    Your goal for today is to complete 5 sets of 5 One Leg Squats on each leg. It doesn’t matter how much time you take in between each set. You can spread the 5 sets through the entire day and do one set for each leg at the time. It is not a time challenge so do not race to get it done as fast as possible. Focus on proper form instead.

    Stand on one leg and extend the other leg in front of you. Extend your arms in front of you as well for balance, keep your chest up, core tight and shoulders back and down. In order to avoid leaning towards one side, you have to focus on keeping all of the muscles of the standing leg super tight.

    Push your hips back and bring your butt towards the ground. Try to keep your chest up and the weight should be mostly on the heel of the standing leg. Do not relax your ab muscles. You have to keep them tight throughout the exercise. Push off of the heel squeezing every muscle on that leg and drive your hips up. Squeeze your butt at the top of the movement as you drive your hips forward.

    Easier Variations for Beginners

    Use a chair for support.

    Hold on to a chair and get as deep into the squat as your flexibility and strength allows you.

    This is the easiest variation. Start by sitting on a chair, extend one leg and arms in front of you and stand up on one leg. Try to sit down on the chair standing on one leg.



    Around The Web
    • Jo

      2.45 mins

    • Anonymous

      Hi Z&F
      I have finish this change my right leg is stronger so from sit on chair on righ leg to holding (support) chair but my left feen no so good so I use low step for the left leg change.But still feel good couple months go I can’t do any of that so I am happy.
      Thank you and keep your self WARM(svarakem treba) I am waching the weather news in Czech Brrrr I am happy I not there.
      Thank you

    • TuiningaK

      Hello Beautiful Zuzana!

      I am wondering if this -or any other exercises you can think of- will specifically target the “chubby inside knee” problem. No matter how fit or thin I am, my knees always look bulky/chubby/ flabby. I see alot of thin and fit actresses or models with this problem as well. It seems to be common. Is this strictly genetics that a certain number of us just have to accept? Or are there intelligent ways of dealing with this unsightly problem? If there are… I’m sure you are the one to know. And if there aren’t…I’m sure you’ll be the one to come up with a way! You’re fabulous.

    • GetMeFit

      I’m really determined to get off the couch, and make a change in my life. You’re body is my DREAM BODY. I want to look just like youu. I never used to exercise from a fear of getting bulky and manly looking, but you are proof that women can work out and look very feminine and sexy ;) lol. My question is, if I start following the daily challenges now, and don’t skip a day, and really focus on my form, will I be able to acheive a body like yours? Should I start from the first challenge workouts you did, or should I start on the workout of today and follow from there? Please help me get fit and be beautiful like you (:
      Thanks, xoxo Carol.

      • Anonymous

        Hi Carol – you can go back to some of the older workouts or you can jump right into the schedule and start following along. Please take the time to look at our 5 week diet challenge and see if this approach makes sense for you. Welcome!

    • Anonymous

      Hi Nicole,
      It sounds like you have a lot going on. If your schedule is all over the place, I would suggest taking 20 minutes when you get up to do your workout. You may not have regular hours, but you should have a pretty good idea about when you need to wake up to start your day. Take this time for yourself. Working out first thing also allows you to start downloading the videos before you go to sleep so that they are loaded when you get up.

      In terms of food, I would look at buying a bag of potatoes, carrots, chick peas, onions, oats and beans etc and make large pots of soups / stews etc. Meat tends to be expensive, but you can find chicken (at least where we are) legs and thighs for cheaper. If possible you could look at a protein supplement once a day if other sources of protein are not possible. I think you should stop with the dollar menu items, not just because these foods are processed and fatty, but also because you are forming new habits around fast food that you may find hard to shake later on when your circumstances change. Does anyone else have any advice for Nicole?

      • leannahope

        I was really poor when I first moved out on my own in college. Like you I was living on the dollar menu, eating cheeseburgers, french fries, etc. I got really big this way, but I discovered that making soups and stews was a lot cheaper than going to the McDonald’s dollar menu. Look for what’s on sale at the store, add beans, and you have a nutritious soup, rice (super cheap) helps make it more filling. Don’t buy any pre-mixed dinners-in-a-box. They aren’t worth the money. It’s important to get other fruits, veggies and meat, and I found that the freezer section is the key for that. Frozen vegetables and meats are less expensive than fresh. A good serving of soup with rice or beans and rice is about 30 cents a serving. I ended up saving money eating this way because I packed lunch when I went to work or school. Good luck, and I hope that your situation changes for the better soon!

      • Marissagibbons7

        Grocery stores like Aldi’s are amazing money savers for bulking up on food as well.

    • Anonymous

      We haven’t measured in a REALLY long time :)

    • Anonymous

      Try them assisted and see what kind of progress you make…

    • Kevinomahoney

      Egad.

      Let me know if you are still doing this when you are 42 years old! I will just do box jumps today…

    • Anonymous

      Zuzana takes her coffee black for the most part or with some skim milk. We don’t eat a lot of dairy to be honest and keep it in moderation. See some of the examples in the diet section of the breakfast ideas we put together…

    • http://hattorizen.blogspot.com/ Jos

      Even the easiest variation is tough enough! I’m planning to do this everyday after work (maybe do at least 5 reps each leg and see how much progress I will make :)
      Hopefully one day I can do full one leg squat unassisted like Zuzie!

    • Mremboblog

      this is one excersise I absolutely cannot do. I have bad knees and I also think the fact that I am carrying a bit too much weight wreaks havoc with my ability to carry it out.

      I have taken my before picture and plan to submit my after picture (+ buy you a very big cup of coffee) on April 30th.

      Thanks for the workouts even though I have not be able to complete a full one. My fitness level was at 0 after the birth of my baby in August. I found your site by happenstance sometime in October and have been here (at the old one too and on youtube) since then.

      Since october my fitness has improved from 0 to 2.5 on a scale of 1-10, ten being Zuzana fit. I know I have a long way to go, but I am getting there.

    • Stephanie Fuller39

      I had to use a chair and completed in 5:41

    • Mary Lou

      Grrrrr. I STILL can not do these. Holding on in the door jamb, mostly for balance. Should I only go down as far as I can on my own, without help, and work from there, or should I continue to hold on and go all the way down? Any body have any advice on these? It would be much appreciated! Thanks!

    • Anonymous

      This challenge is harder than it looks. I went into the squat with no help but, I had to hold on to furniture on my way up. Thanks for the challenge!!!

      10/28/11 5:55

    • kar

      how’s erin doing anyone?

    • Anonymous

      Hi Zuzka, 

      Here is a fun video of Halloween Light Show 2011 – Party Rock Anthem

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfcNoMnKjrY

      –Chris

    • kat

      500 skipping
      5 sets of 5 one leg squats (had to use the chair for my balance :)
      50 mountain climbers
      100 crunches
      500 skipping
      thank you for another GREAT workout Zuzka and Freddy =)

      • GoustiFruit

        Looks cool, I will do this today, with high knees instead of skipping. Thanks :-)

        • GoustiFruit

          I just did it, it took me 16’16. I didn’t give it all for the first time as I didn’t know what to expect; thus I’ll be able to improve next time, as I will probably do it again :-)

    • GoustiFruit

      There are variations for beginners, just try it and soon you’ll be able to do regulars. Really.

    • Kay

      done! didn’t time it.. but I did it. I have yet to figure out how zuzka gets all the way down to the ground like that. It feels like I might injure myself with my foot flat on the ground. I have to bend it to get down that low. does anyone else’s body feel that way?