Sled Lying Single Leg Squat
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Sled machine
- Body part
- Thighs
- Type
- Strength
The Sled Lying Single Leg Squat is a unilateral strength exercise performed on a sled machine with one leg at a time, targeting the thighs. Training each leg independently helps identify and address strength imbalances between sides. It is well suited for building single-leg pressing strength with the guided path a sled machine provides.
How to do the Sled Lying Single Leg Squat
- 1Set the sled to a manageable weight and sit on the carriage with your back flat against the pad.
- 2Place one foot on the footplate at roughly hip width, keeping the heel fully in contact with the plate.
- 3Let the non-working leg hang free and clear of the footplate for the entire set.
- 4Disengage the safety handles and lower the carriage under control by bending the working knee.
- 5Descend until your knee reaches roughly a 90-degree angle or as deep as your mobility allows without your lower back lifting off the pad.
- 6Press through the heel of the working foot to extend the knee and drive the sled back to the starting position.
- 7Stop just short of full knee lockout at the top of each rep.
- 8Complete all reps on one leg, re-engage the safety handles, switch feet, and repeat on the other side.
Form tips
- Keep the heel of the working foot firmly planted throughout the movement — shifting onto the toes reduces effectiveness and puts extra stress on the knee.
- Control the descent with a slow, deliberate tempo rather than letting the weight drop freely.
- Keep your lower back in full contact with the carriage pad; if it peels away, reduce the range of motion or lighten the load.
- Let your knee track in line with your foot rather than letting it cave inward toward the midline.
- Start with a lighter load than you would use for two-leg sled work, since one leg must handle the full weight independently.
Common mistakes
- Allowing the knee to cave inward during the press: this places sideways stress on the knee joint and reduces force transfer through the working thigh.
- Raising the heel off the footplate: lifting the heel shifts load toward the toes and the knee rather than through the thigh.
- Bouncing at the bottom of the range: using momentum instead of muscular control reduces tension in the thigh and increases stress on the knee joint.
- Setting the foot too low on the footplate: a low foot position over-stresses the knee and limits the depth you can safely reach.
- Locking out the knee aggressively at the top: snapping the joint into full extension at the end of each rep shifts load off the thigh and onto the knee itself.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Sled Lying Single Leg Squat work?
This exercise targets the thighs. Because only one leg is on the footplate at a time, each side must produce the full pressing force independently rather than sharing it with the other leg.
How is the Sled Lying Single Leg Squat different from the standard two-leg leg press?
Performing the movement with one leg forces each side to handle the full load on its own, which reveals strength imbalances that two-leg pressing can mask. It also requires more control to keep the pelvis stable against the carriage pad.
Where should I place my foot on the footplate?
Position your foot at roughly the center of the footplate with the heel fully supported. Placing it too low shifts stress to the knee, while too high a position limits the range of motion available through the thigh.
How much weight should I use compared to my two-leg sled press?
Start at roughly 40 to 50 percent of your two-leg sled weight, since one leg now handles what was previously shared between two. Adjust based on how well you control the movement through the full range.
Can I do this exercise if I have a strength imbalance between legs?
Yes — unilateral exercises like this one are commonly used to address imbalances. Always perform the weaker leg first, match the reps on both sides, and resist the urge to add extra sets to the stronger side.
