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Band Single Leg Split Squat
A split squat with a band anchored under the front foot, adding accommodating resistance that loads the quads and glutes hardest at the top of each rep.
LegsBandSplit squat
GoLightWeight mediaband-single-leg-split-squat
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
QuadricepsGlutes
Secondary
HamstringsAdductorsCalvesCore
Equipment
Band
Pattern
Split squat
Setup
- 01Trap the middle of a band under the front foot of a split stance.
- 02Pull a band end up to each shoulder and hold them there.
- 03Step the rear foot back far enough that the front shin stays near vertical at the bottom.
- 04Square the hips forward and brace.
Execution
- 01Lower straight down by bending both knees.
- 02Descend until the rear knee hovers just above the floor.
- 03Drive through the whole front foot to stand back up against the increasing band tension.
- 04Finish tall without locking the band away from the shoulders.
Checkpoints
- -Front knee tracks over the toes without caving inward.
- -Torso stays upright with a slight forward lean at most.
- -Most of the load stays on the front leg.
- -Band stays pinned under the mid-foot, not the toes.
Common mistakes
- -Pushing off the rear leg instead of driving the front leg.
- -Letting the front heel lift at the bottom.
- -Taking a stance so short the knee shoots far past the toes.
- -Losing the band position at the shoulders mid-set.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps per leg as a single-leg accessory.
- -The band overloads the lockout, so pair it with free-weight split squats that load the bottom.
- -Progress by shortening the band grip or slowing the eccentric to 3 seconds.
Related exercises
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