Single Leg Squat

The Single Leg Squat is a challenging unilateral lower-body exercise that builds strength, balance, and coordination by requiring one leg to perform a squatting motion while the other remains off the ground. It primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes while highlighting and correcting muscle imbalances between the left and right sides.

How Iridium Helps

Because single-leg stability relies heavily on nervous system freshness, the AI analyzes your HRV and sleep data to determine if you have the coordination for this movement or if a more stable regression is safer for the day. By tracking the specific RPE and performance data for each leg individually, the app detects strength asymmetries and automatically adjusts volume to bring up your lagging side. Additionally, if you report knee pain, the system can instantly recommend hip-dominant alternatives to maintain training volume without aggravating the joint.

Form Cues

Do
  • Keep your chest lifted and core braced tight throughout the rep
  • Shift your weight completely onto the standing leg before descending
  • Sit your hips back and down as if reaching for a chair
  • Drive firmly through your standing heel to return to the top
  • Track your knee in line with your second and third toes
Don't
  • Don't let your standing knee collapse inward
  • Don't lift your standing heel off the ground
  • Don't round your upper back or hunch forward
  • Don't let your non-working foot touch the floor unless necessary for balance
  • Don't rush the descent; control the lowering phase

Common Mistakes

  • Knee caving inward (valgus collapse)
  • Heel lifting off the floor
  • Rounding the upper back
  • Descending too quickly
  • Insufficient depth

Muscles Worked

This exercise primarily isolates the quadriceps and glutes, forcing them to lift your entire body weight without assistance from the opposite leg. It also heavily recruits the hamstrings and core stabilizers to maintain balance and prevent rotation, making it highly effective for building functional lower-body strength and joint stability.

Primary

QuadricepsGlutes

Secondary

HamstringsGeneral Core

Get Personalized Coaching for Single Leg Squat

Don't guess your way through weights or workouts. Download Iridium for automatic, AI-powered coaching that adapts to your recovery and goals.

Coming SoonLearn More