Single Limb Training: Legs

Single “limb” training is a great way to correct any imbalances you may have developed over the years. It’s also a great way to break a plateau and get away from your normal everyday routine.

Over a 3 part series I’ll be going over single limb training for lower body – today – upper body pushes and upper body pulls. I’ll also be putting up a video workout for you guys to try as well.

Single leg training is an effective way to build strength in either leg individually while replicating athletic movements more closely than you would with double leg training.

Building Strength Through Single Leg Training

• You’ll find that your single leg strength in a squat isn’t close to half of your double leg strength, as you may think. Developing each leg individually will increase your strength in a double leg squat but also build each muscle properly without any imbalances.
• Balance and leg position also play more of a role in single leg training than they do in double leg training. In single leg training, often for balance purposes, your foot position is more centred than it would be in a double leg squat which is more of an athletic position (ie. you don’t run with your legs shoulder width apart or wider like you may squat, especially as you begin to add weight and lower your reps). Read the rest of this entry »