Suspension Single Leg Squat (figure)

Cómo hacer el Suspension Single Leg Squat (figure)

1. 1Set the suspension trainer handles to roughly waist height and confirm the anchor is secure overhead.
2. 2Stand facing the anchor point and grip both handles with a neutral grip, arms extended in front of you and elbows soft.
3. 3Shift your weight onto your right foot, then lift your left leg and cross the left ankle over your right knee so the left shin is roughly parallel to the floor — this is the figure-4 position.
4. 4Brace your core, keep your chest tall, and allow a slight forward lean from the hips — approximately 10–20 degrees — so your torso and shin move in parallel as you descend.
5. 5Push your right hip back and bend the right knee to lower your body toward the floor, descending as deep as your mobility allows while keeping the heel flat and the knee tracking over the second toe.
6. 6Use the handles for as little assistance as possible — enough to keep balance and control, not to pull yourself through the movement.
7. 7Pause briefly at the bottom, then drive through the right heel and extend the hip and knee to stand back up to the starting position.
8. 8Complete all reps on the right leg, then switch sides and repeat with the left leg as the working leg.

Consejos de técnica

• Let the handles provide only the minimum assistance needed — the goal is to progressively reduce how much you pull on the straps so the working leg takes on more of the load over time.
• Keep the foot of the figure-4 leg flexed and actively hold the ankle over the knee throughout the movement; letting it drop reduces the hip-opening effect and changes the balance challenge.
• Drive your knee out in line with your toes on both the descent and ascent — if the knee caves inward, reduce depth until you have the hip strength to control the full range.
• A slight forward lean of the torso is normal and necessary on a single-leg squat; focus on hinging from the hip rather than rounding the lower back.
• Control the descent for 2–3 seconds before pressing back up — slow eccentrics build the strength and stability that translate to unassisted single-leg movements.

Errores comunes

• Pulling heavily on the handles throughout the rep: this offloads the working leg and defeats the purpose of single-leg training — you get the range of motion without building the strength needed to own it.
• Letting the knee cave inward (valgus collapse): collapsing the knee medially reduces glute activation and places shear stress on the knee joint; step up to a partial range or add a resistance band above the knees until hip abductor strength improves.
• Rising onto the toes during the descent: lifting the heel shortens the range of motion and shifts load away from the glutes and onto the quads and calves; keep the heel pressed firmly into the floor throughout.
• Rounding the lower back at the bottom: a posterior pelvic tilt under load compresses the lumbar discs; stop the descent just before the pelvis tucks and work on hip flexor and ankle mobility to increase range gradually.
• Dropping the figure-4 foot so the leg hangs loose: an unsupported lower leg swings during the rep and disrupts balance, making the movement harder to control; actively hold the position with your hip flexors throughout.

Preguntas frecuentes