My top choices for unilateral leg work are Lunges, Bulgarian Split Squats and Step-Ups. Don't be afraid to go heavy on all of these. Heavy barbell lunges are one of my favorite movements for legs.
I don't have a full hamstring routine, but Good Mornings and Stiff Legged Deadlifts, would be a good place to start.
Unilateral work is a piss-poor way of increasing your squat and deadlift.
Hypertrophy and Injury prevention are the main benefits of unilateral leg work.
Look at all the big squatters/deadlifters out there and very few of them do any unilateral work, because its not as effective. Whats going to help your deadlift more, rack pulls with 600lbs, or split squats with 100lbs in each hand?
If you goal is to increase squat/dead stick to the basics:
squats and variations, deads, rack pulls, box squats of varying heights, good mornings, etc.
Unilateral work is a piss-poor way of increasing your squat and deadlift.
Hypertrophy and Injury prevention are the main benefits of unilateral leg work.
Look at all the big squatters/deadlifters out there and very few of them do any unilateral work, because its not as effective. Whats going to help your deadlift more, rack pulls with 600lbs, or split squats with 100lbs in each hand?
If you goal is to increase squat/dead stick to the basics:
squats and variations, deads, rack pulls, box squats of varying heights, good mornings, etc.
Step ups and split squats are discussed all the time on "Dr. Squat". They will never be the core of anyone's training but they are a legitimate tool. If what you are doing has stopped working, try something else.
Look at all the big squatters/deadlifters out there and very few of them do any unilateral work, because its not as effective.
Or it could be that their suits are doing enough work so that they dont need unilateral work.
Should note that the Bulgarian Oly team has some huge squat numbers. So huge that some dont even squat much anymore. Guess what they went to next to develop leg strength: barbell stepups (with some able to do 400+ lbs on them).
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Whats going to help your deadlift more, rack pulls with 600lbs, or split squats with 100lbs in each hand?
Youll find lifters who can make cases for both. I know some lifters do have gotten absolutely nothing out of rack pulls and I know lifters who were able to use split squats to stay healthy enough to squat big numbers.
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Should note that the Bulgarian Oly team has some huge squat numbers. So huge that some dont even squat much anymore. Guess what they went to next to develop leg strength: barbell stepups (with some able to do 400+ lbs on them).
yes, but of course you have to remember that the bulgarian lifters have YEARS of squatting under their belts. They started much younger than you and I.
Of course, oly lifting isn't about developing a huge squat. Didn't Dimas not squat past a certain weight because he didn't have any need to?
Couldn't stepups have just been a way to maintain their leg strength that they developed from years of squatting?
They didn't use stepups to develop their leg strength. They squatted for years before then.
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They didn't use stepups to develop their leg strength. They squatted for years before then.
They used them to develop leg strength because they were at a point where squatting more gave back lower returns than other methods.
__________________
"The strongest steel goes through the hottest fires."-Anonymous
"When you begin to believe nothing is heavy, all weights become light." -Rossbow
"Just remember, somewhere there is a little Chinese girl warming up with your max."-Jim Convroy
"It's a round hole, dammit. Everyone fits."--Anonymous Mod at Strengthmill
Or it could be that their suits are doing enough work so that they dont need unilateral work.
Should note that the Bulgarian Oly team has some huge squat numbers. So huge that some dont even squat much anymore. Guess what they went to next to develop leg strength: barbell stepups (with some able to do 400+ lbs on them).
Youll find lifters who can make cases for both. I know some lifters do have gotten absolutely nothing out of rack pulls and I know lifters who were able to use split squats to stay healthy enough to squat big numbers.
I dont know much about oly lifting.. but when i look at what the 800-900lbs+ raw squatters do, nobody is using anything like a split squat.
Even if you do use 400lbs for stepups, how much weight is your body getting used to? 400lbs.. your abs, upperback, lowback, etc are only working with very submaximal weight in comparison to your squat/dl numbers.
I actually think uniateral work is a great tool for hypertrophy and injury prevention, but when it comes to powerlifting numbers, not so much. Then again, there is always exceptions. I'm not saying its not going to help.. far from it, just for most powerlifters, there are better tools.
a 400lbs stepup is going to be much easier then a 800lbs squat.
Id like to see you stepup 400lbs once you reach your 800lb squat. Might as well clean 400lbs while youre at it.
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I actually think uniateral work is a great tool for hypertrophy and injury prevention, but when it comes to powerlifting numbers, not so much.
My contention is that theyre interrelated. An 800lb box squat is going do shit for you and your numbers if youve torn your quad due to a bilateral imbalance.
__________________
"The strongest steel goes through the hottest fires."-Anonymous
"When you begin to believe nothing is heavy, all weights become light." -Rossbow
"Just remember, somewhere there is a little Chinese girl warming up with your max."-Jim Convroy
"It's a round hole, dammit. Everyone fits."--Anonymous Mod at Strengthmill
a 400lbs stepup is going to be much easier then a 800lbs squat.
i disagree. i'd like to see someone do 400lb step ups, or 400lb lunges.
of course, the lifts are equipped that you're talking about as well. We all know suits give someone assistance on squats. Now that's fine, but there's a big difference in doing squats in a suit, and doing unilateral work without any form of assistance.
For one, unilateral work is by itself harder than bilateral work. If you're squatting 800 in a suit, you're not squatting 800 raw, correct? what, a 600-700 (maybe MAX) raw squat? So you're going to be doing lunges with only 33% less of your 1RM? That would be a pretty strong lunge.
That means if a lifter is squatting 1100 in a suit, he should be doing step ups with 725lbs.
Mike Miller's 1200lb squat, he should be able to do step ups with 800lbs?
The whole point of this is that there comes a point where just because a weight LOOKS light relative to what you're doing on two legs, doesn't mean it's easy on one or even POSSIBLE. Numbers or percentages lower than your best equipped squat doesn't mean you can do it.
This is why oly lifters get benefits doing step ups with 400lbs when they're best full squat is probably 600-700 (i'm guessing?).
I would love to try and see someone who's a geared lifter squatting 1200lbs try and lunge or do step ups with 800lbs without getting injured.
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i disagree. i'd like to see someone do 400lb step ups, or 400lb lunges.
whats this, 600lbs? Ever heard of him? i doubt it.
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Originally Posted by Alcoholiday
of course, the lifts are equipped that you're talking about as well. We all know suits give someone assistance on squats. Now that's fine, but there's a big difference in doing squats in a suit, and doing unilateral work without any form of assistance.
Like I said, i was talking about raw numbers. There are a handful of 900lbs (or close to) raw squatters out there these days with more people getting into raw lifting.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alcoholiday
For one, unilateral work is by itself harder than bilateral work. If you're squatting 800 in a suit, you're not squatting 800 raw, correct? what, a 600-700 (maybe MAX) raw squat? So you're going to be doing lunges with only 33% less of your 1RM? That would be a pretty strong lunge.
You cant compare geared numbers to raw numbers, it doesnt work. When you take 800lbs out of the rack, it doesnt matter what gear you have on, your body is dealing with 800lbs. Your back is holding onto 800lbs and if you where to step on a scale, it would read bw + 800lbs.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alcoholiday
That means if a lifter is squatting 1100 in a suit, he should be doing step ups with 725lbs.
Mike Miller's 1200lb squat, he should be able to do step ups with 800lbs?
I dont get where you got the 725lbs from..
Someone that squats 600lbs raw could easily do lunges with 300lbs. A 150lbs db in each hand for 1 rep? or use a bb. its not going to be a problem at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alcoholiday
The whole point of this is that there comes a point where just because a weight LOOKS light relative to what you're doing on two legs, doesn't mean it's easy on one or even POSSIBLE. Numbers or percentages lower than your best equipped squat doesn't mean you can do it.
This is why oly lifters get benefits doing step ups with 400lbs when they're best full squat is probably 600-700 (i'm guessing?).
I would love to try and see someone who's a geared lifter squatting 1200lbs try and lunge or do step ups with 800lbs without getting injured.
I dont know why you keep talking about gear, i wasn't at all..
If we look at the best raw squat of all time ~900lbs. im sure a 450lbs stepup or lunge would be no problem at all.. 450lbs, when you squat 900, is nothing at all.
If we look at the best raw squat of all time ~900lbs. im sure a 450lbs stepup or lunge would be no problem at all.. 450lbs, when you squat 900, is nothing at all.
Considering that a step up and a lunge are the same movement as a squat.
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I probably am coming across wrong. The main things i was trying to say:
-Few good powerlifters do much unilateral leg training.
-Few powerlifting coaches recommend much of it.
-If you are strong on 2 legs, you are going to be strong on one. But, not necessarily the other way around because you wont be used to handling big weights. If you have only ever had 200lbs on your back with unilateral training, you will go to squat 400lbs and fail misrible because your upperback/lowerback/abs has only ever been exposed to 200lbs.
For athletes, oly lifters, recreational lifters, etc, I have absolutely no idea at all about unilateral work and ill be the first to admit that. I dont train for those things, i dont look into the training approaches of those people either.
For athletes, oly lifters, recreational lifters, etc, I have absolutely no idea at all about unilateral work and ill be the first to admit that. I dont train for those things, i dont look into the training approaches of those people either.
Ironically, Louie Simmons does.
__________________
"The strongest steel goes through the hottest fires."-Anonymous
"When you begin to believe nothing is heavy, all weights become light." -Rossbow
"Just remember, somewhere there is a little Chinese girl warming up with your max."-Jim Convroy
"It's a round hole, dammit. Everyone fits."--Anonymous Mod at Strengthmill
I probably am coming across wrong. The main things i was trying to say:
-Few good powerlifters do much unilateral leg training.
-Few powerlifting coaches recommend much of it.
-If you are strong on 2 legs, you are going to be strong on one. But, not necessarily the other way around because you wont be used to handling big weights. If you have only ever had 200lbs on your back with unilateral training, you will go to squat 400lbs and fail misrible because your upperback/lowerback/abs has only ever been exposed to 200lbs.
For athletes, oly lifters, recreational lifters, etc, I have absolutely no idea at all about unilateral work and ill be the first to admit that. I dont train for those things, i dont look into the training approaches of those people either.
Can you do a one legged squat?
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It's not a beer belly. It's a gas tank for a sax machine.
yes, you are going to be strong on one leg, if you have the mobility and such which i thought you where referring to.
and the little ive done unilateral work (couple times in the last year) ive done high rep split squats and lunges with 100lbs dbs in each hand as well as high rep pistol squats while adding weight.
Unilateral exercises are not the best way to directly build max strength.
But they are important for a couple of reasons 2 being:
- What if a person has a strength deficit in one leg, then doing them could pay huge dividends for max strength.
-The other point is they are excellent for injury prevention. And how much direct 2 legged work can you do if you are hurt?
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Let's say you can currently do a step up with x amount of weight, and 4 weeks later you can do it with x +20lbs.
How are you not stronger?
How does having a stronger posterior chain not carry over to squat and DL strength?
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UNILATERAL LEG WORK
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