Barbell Single Leg Squat

The barbell single leg squat is an advanced exercise that targets the lower body, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It improves balance, stability, and strength in each leg.

  1. Stand with a barbell across your upper back, feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Shift your weight onto one leg, lifting the other leg off the ground.
  3. Lower your body by bending the knee of the standing leg, keeping your chest up and back straight.
  4. Descend until your thigh is parallel to the ground, then push through your heel to return to the starting position.

How to perform the Barbell Single Leg Squat

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Single Leg Squat using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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