Single Leg Exercise Variations
Off-Set Reverse Lunge
This is an effective exercise to develop single strength and stability and also provides greater posterior chain activation than other knee-dominant single-leg movements.
With the Dumbbell to the opposite side, the upper body and knee is wanting to internally rotate …. but it’s the athletes job to remain in a neutral position, increasing the demand of the Glute Med 🍑 and Lateral Stabisers of the Core 💪
To optimise this exercise:
Keep your shoulders back and down
Maintain an upright posture without flaring the rib-cage
Engage the core as you step back, avoid any rotation of the torso.
When stepping back, keep your knee in line with toe, making a conscious effort to prevent internal rotation of the hip.
Sit back on to your heel as you step back.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlift
The Single-Leg RDL is an effective way to overload the hinge pattern from a stability and strength perspective. Greater stabilisation demands allows for maximal recruitment of the surrounding hip musculature, contributing to improved movement fluidity in the ring during sagittal and frontal plane actions.
Performing the Single-Leg RDL correctly and under control provides a imposes a significant eccentric demand on the athlete and therefore is beneficial in improving eccentric utilisation of the lower body whilst reducing further axial loading and shear forces through the spine.
Single-leg variations tend to yield high levels of glute medius recruitment, which plays an integral role in preventing unnecessary knee valgus during punching actions.
Reducing the tendency of the knee to internally to rotate through movement patterns and strengthening the glute medius can help reduce overuse and acute injuries of the knee joint.
To optimise technique during this exercise and make sure the correct muscles are being targeted:
Pin your shoulders back and down, maintaining a fully extended and rigid arm.
Keep a slight bend in the knee of the working leg.
Hinge at the hips and keep the core braced for balance.
Lower down until the band is just past the knee before forcefully returning to the start position.
Maintain tension through the glute of the non-working leg, keeping the toe pointed down and maintaining a neutral spine.
8-10 Reps (each leg) X 3-4 Sets
Single Leg Isometrics
Overcoming Isometrics is a great tool to increase force production and rate of force development to help develop strength and explosive athletes
Away from the gym, we can replicate these with Towel ISO Holds
Isometric Split-Squats: are a viable means of improving single-leg strength and stability.
For optimal technique:
Set-up in the split-stance position as shown and lower yourself down into a half lunge position before initiating the pull.
Keep the chest upright and shoulders back
Inhale and engage the core for the duration of the hold, before exhaling.
Rest, briefly, between each rep, reset and repeat.
Lateral Lunges with Kettlebell
KB Lateral Lunge: is a beneficial exercise for improving single-leg stability, lateral movement and strength of the musculature surrounding the hip.
The main coaching points to ingrain optimal technique are:
Keeping your shoulders back and chest up
Strong brace of the core to prevent the weight from pulling you forward
Keeping the toes pointed forward when lunging to each side
Lunge Matrix - FULL BREAKDOWN
Lunge Matrix
This is a great movement complex for mobilising the hips and developing single-leg stability. The lateral lunge variations incorporate frontal plane hip stability whilst also releasing tension from the adductors which tend to be tight in combat sport athletes.
The main coaching points to keep in mind when performing each variation
Set your shoulders back and down.
Keep your ribcage locked down to avoid hyper extension through the lumbar spine.
Maintain an upright chest as much as possible with each variation.
Avoid over-reaching or reaching with just the arms – allow your eyes to follow your hands.
Keep the toes facing forward with each variation.
Lateral Lunge Swings
This exercise offers a simple way to overload the lateral lunge movement and develop strength in the frontal plane which is essential for lateral movement and optimal balance in the ring.
To perform correctly:
Fix the shoulders back and down, retracting the scapula.
Brace the core to avoid excessive leaning to the side or out in front.
Push the hips back lunging to the side, keeping the toes pointing forward.
Transition smoothly into each rep.
KB Woodchops
This is a complex movement that develops single leg strength and stability as well as core function, particularly across the oblique myofascial sling which facilitates efficient transfer of force from hip, through the core and to the fist.
To ensure you’re performing this exercise with optimal technique:
Descend into the lunge position under control, maintaining tension through the core.
Resist your knee wanting to rotate inwards, this allows for maximal glute medius recruitment.
Hold your hand out to the side for balance and maintain an upright posture as best as possible.
Single Leg Glute Bridges
Banded Single-Leg Glute Bridge: Is another great exercise to activate and strengthen the glutes with an added emphasis on hip stability.
To perform this exercise correctly:
In the bottom position, press the lower back against the ground keep the stomach tensed.
As with the double leg variation, think about rolling your hips up towards the sky/ceiling.
The non-working leg should be extended with the toe pointed towards the shin.
At top position the knee should be perpendicular to the floor, make sure to engage the core to prevent rotation of the upper body.
Raise the toes of the working leg off the floor to maximise glute recruitment.