An Advanced Fitness Training Post…by Brian Utley

Ever heard the saying, “busier than a 1-legged man in an a## kicking contest?”  Despite being busy and handicapped, this guy was more than likely a pretty ripped dude.

Why, you ask?  Because he had no choice other than to do single leg activities.

You see, when we get away from exclusively training the conventional double-leg movements like squats and dead-lifts, we really start to see results.

I’m not saying there isn’t a place for those traditional movements; I’m just suggesting you open your mind up to the benefits of single-leg training.

First of all, consider that single-limb training has been accepted and even preferred for the upper body for years.  It’s called dumbbell training.

So, why are people so hesitant to use single-limb training with the lower body?  Because they’re often misinformed.  I hear this a lot…“I can’t lift as much weight” or “I can’t get stronger.”

You have to shift your perspective because it’s all relative.  Single-leg squats actually recruit more muscle than do their double-leg counterpart, which translates into more potential for fat burn.  If you don’t believe me, simply stand up, and then raise 1 leg off the ground.

You should immediately notice additional muscles in the core, hips, and glutes activate that were not contributing when you were on 2 feet.  Now, consider the activity of these additional muscles when you’re doing far more than simply standing on 1 leg.

And, for those who are concerned about gaining strength along with that lean body look, have no fear because that’s exactly what single-leg movements provide.

Have you ever thought about what the limiting factor really is when performing a traditional squat?  It’s your back, not your legs.  How else do you explain that I can load 155 pounds on a bar and perform 8 clean reps of a rear-foot-elevated split squat (single leg squat with your back foot supported at an elevation) with full range of motion but can’t perform a 310-pound traditional squat 8 times with the same clean movement?

We see it all the time in the gym, guy performing squats, and instead of continuing to move through his hips, movement transfers to the lumbar spine because it can’t handle the load.

So, you’re saying that I can recruit more fat-burning muscle, more strength, and significantly lessen my spinal load by choosing a single-leg version over a double-leg version?  I’ll take it…

Plus, the anaerobic demand is far greater for a single-leg squat.  Try it out for yourself.  Compare a set of 8 double-leg squats with a set of 8 single-leg squats on each leg.  I guarantee your heart rate will be significantly higher on the single-leg version, because your body has to work so hard to resolve the instability and perform the movement.

No matter how you cut it, your potential for fat loss on a single-leg movement is going to exceed the double-leg option.

Just in case you’re looking for more benefits, I aim to please…

Single-leg movements are far more functional.  I doubt any of you got out of bed this morning and bunny hopped around the house or to work.  You’d probably get some pretty odd looks.

In our daily lives, we function with our legs operating independent of 1 another, so our training should reflect that if we not only want to look good but also perform well in our day-to-day routine.

And, speaking of performance, I know there’s a lot of you out there like me who want to impress when you take your shirt off at the gym, but you don’t want to lose that attention once the pick-up game starts.

For weekend warriors, single-leg training will raise the level of your performance without a doubt.

Plus, the likelihood of injuries decreases significantly when you perform single-leg training because of the additional stabilizing muscles that are activated during training and consequently support your joints during performance activities.

So, maybe the previously mentioned a## kicker wasn’t so bad off after all.  Don’t be discouraged if, at first, you have a hard time performing the single-leg movements.  Stick with it.  Once your stabilizing muscles start responding, you’ll have no problem performing the movements and will begin reaping the rewards of single-leg training.

Let me know how it goes…

Your Coach,

Brian Utley

PS – To check out all the killer celeb workout reviews I’ve done here on Awesomeness.com (oops, I mean TopFatLossTrainer), go here:  Celebrity Workouts

Posted in Build Muscle | Toning Exercises, Rapid Fat Loss Workouts by Brian Utley | 5 Comments