Counterbalanced Skater Squat exercise animation (Male)

Counterbalanced Skater Squat

Target muscle
Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps
Synergist muscles
Adductor Magnus, Soleus
Equipment
Body weight
Body part
Thighs
Type
Strength

The counterbalanced skater squat is a single-leg bodyweight exercise that builds strength in the glutes (gluteus maximus) and quads (quadriceps), with the adductor magnus and soleus stabilizing through the movement. Reaching your arms (or a light weight) forward as a counterbalance keeps you balanced as you descend on one leg, making it a knee-friendly way to train single-leg strength and balance.

How to do the Counterbalanced Skater Squat

  1. 1Stand tall on one leg with your working foot flat and your other knee bent so the rear foot floats just behind you.
  2. 2Extend your arms straight out in front of you at roughly shoulder height to act as a counterbalance. You can hold a very light plate or dumbbell in your hands if you want more reach.
  3. 3Brace your core, keep your chest up, and set your standing knee tracking over your toes.
  4. 4Hinge at the hips and bend your standing knee to lower under control, letting your rear leg trail back and down behind you.
  5. 5Descend until your rear knee lightly taps the floor, keeping most of your weight through the heel and mid-foot of your standing leg.
  6. 6Drive through your standing foot and extend the hip and knee to stand back up, keeping your arms reaching forward for balance.
  7. 7Complete all reps on one leg, then switch sides and repeat.

Form tips

  • Reach your arms a little further forward as you descend — the counterbalance lets you sit back into your hips and keeps your weight centered over your standing foot.
  • Lower slowly (aim for a 2–3 second descent) and only tap the rear knee down rather than crashing it into the floor.
  • Place a folded mat or pad under the trailing knee at first so you can find full depth without bruising it.
  • Keep your standing knee tracking in line with your toes throughout the rep, not caving inward.
  • If balance is the limiting factor, hold a rack or wall with one hand until the pattern feels stable.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the standing knee cave inward, which strains the knee and wastes glute tension.
  • Crashing the rear knee hard into the floor instead of tapping it, which risks bruising and jarring the joint.
  • Shifting your weight onto the toes and letting the heel lift, which makes you tip forward and loses stability.
  • Dropping your arms to your sides, which removes the counterbalance and forces you to fold forward to stay upright.
  • Rushing the descent, which turns a controlled strength rep into an uncontrolled drop and reduces the training effect.

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the counterbalanced skater squat work?

It mainly works the glutes (gluteus maximus) and quads (quadriceps) of the standing leg, with the adductor magnus and soleus helping to stabilize and control the movement.

Why hold a weight or reach your arms forward?

Reaching your arms or a light weight out in front shifts your center of mass forward as you descend, counterbalancing the rep. This lets you sit back into your hips, stay over your standing foot, and reach full depth without tipping forward.

Is the counterbalanced skater squat good for beginners?

Yes. The forward counterbalance makes single-leg work far easier to balance than a pistol squat, and tapping the rear knee down gives you a clear depth target. Start with bodyweight, use a pad under the trailing knee, and hold a support if needed.

What's a good alternative to the skater squat?

Bulgarian split squats, reverse lunges, and step-ups train similar single-leg strength in the glutes and quads with less balance demand. The pistol squat is a harder progression once the skater squat feels easy.

How many sets and reps should I do?

For bodyweight strength and balance, 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps per leg is a solid range. Keep each rep controlled and stop a rep or two before your form breaks down.

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