One Leg Squat
One Leg Squat earns a place on leg day, and pure bodyweight leverage keeps the focus on muscle you built on purpose.
How to do One Leg Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Extend one leg forward, keeping it off the ground.
- Bend your standing leg and lower your body down as if sitting back into a chair.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight.
- Push through your heel to return to the starting position.
- Repeat with the other leg.
One Leg Squat Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 6-8 reps at your hardest clean leverage, resting 2-3 minutes. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Endurance
3 sets of 25-30 reps with 30-45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Common One Leg Squat Mistakes
Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work
Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Easier and Harder Than One Leg Squat
Swap One Leg Squat For
One Leg Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the One Leg Squat?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Extend one leg forward, keeping it off the ground. Bend your standing leg and lower your body down as if sitting back into a chair. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the One Leg Squat work?
The One Leg Squat primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the One Leg Squat should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 12-18 reps with 60 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the One Leg Squat good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic legs patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the One Leg Squat?
Try the Cable Deadlift, Frankenstein Squat or the Weighted Squat. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
