Squats with one leg on step

[jgoycoolea]

You know how some videos will have you do a squat with one leg on the step and one on the floor? Gin Miller does these a lot and, in fact, she often does them as "3 little repeating squats" with quick pulses (often followed by a "power over"). Do you know what I mean?

Well my question is, do you balance your weight evenly over your body and use both legs to squat, or do you focus on one or the other leg?

I feel like the video people balance their weight, but that just doesn't feel effective to me. I have found that I feel it best if I concentrate on using the leg on the step to power the movement. But maybe this is because I tend to keep my step height high and take power out of some moves and keep it low impact.

What do the rest of you think? Jeanne

 

[Lynda]

Jeanne, I think the foot on the step is just for balance and you are supposed to be doing the one-legged squat with the leg (and buttock)that's grounded. If I understand this exercise, and sometimes it's just one foot on tiptoe, the idea is to put as much of your own bodyweight on one side as you can and really use it almost like dumbbells or a barbell. Kathy Smith does these one-legged squats in her Step tape and her lower body step tape and I think that's how she describes what you are supposed to be doing--although it's been some time since I've used either tape.

 

[jgoycoolea]

I have a Kathy Smith step tape. It has 3 step segments-beg., intermediate, adv. Then she does lower body, abs, and upper body. In that lower body segment she does the squat thing you are talking about with the one foot on tiptoe, and yes I agree that the leg (& buttock!) on the ground is the working one. But that isn't exactly the move I am talking about. In that move, one leg (the one on the step) is more in front of the other. The move I am talking about has both legs pretty much side by side. (maybe the one on the floor is slightly behind.)

Again, the move I am referring to is done a lot by Gin Miller, for example in Intense Moves when she does three little repeating squats with a leg curl followed by over the top as the base move before the interval blast.

Thank you for replying! Jeanne

 

[DebbieH]

Hi Jeanne!

If I remember right, (and being premenopausal could be a problem!!), you are supposed to put your weight into the heel on the leg on the floor and push from there. As Cathe says, you are also working the back leg (quads) so you get a bonus, but the emphasis is on the front leg. Hope this helps .

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!

 

[jgoycoolea]

RE: Hi Jeanne!

Hmm.., two of you have said the leg on the floor. I am going to try a video with these squats on the step tomorrow and try and focus on that leg. We'll see how it feels. Jeanne

 

[DebbieH]

Me again!

Sorry Jeanne-I think I misunderstood which move you were talking about. Thinking back on doing Intense Moves (which has been months ago), I think I know which move you are refering too. Now, if I am thinking right, I guess I would try to put my weight EVENLY on the pulses, but then put the weight in the heel on the STEP as you shoot over the top. Does that make sense? I think that is the way I do it. Sorry for the confusion. I was picturing the stool behind you doing one-legged squats. Hope I haven't confused you EVEN more!:-rollen
Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!

 

[kathryn]

If one leg is in front of the other, I'd say it's more like a lunge on the step, and you should put most of your weight on the forward leg. If legs are even, then you could do it as a one-legged squat (leg on floor works, leg on step is just for balance). If you put most of your weight on the leg on the step, it seems to me like it would be more of a side step-up, which is also an effective exercise (my PT gave it to me as an exercise to do for knee rehap).

 

[cyberfit]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-01 AT 10:16AM (Est)[/font][p]Jeanne,

The squats that you are referring to are supposed to be done with even weight distribution between the two legs (if you want to do exactly as it's done in the video, Intense Moves).

 

[DebbieH]

Poor Jeanne!

Do we have you totally confused YET??:-hmmm Good Luck!

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH http://www.plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!

 

[jgoycoolea]

Tried all variations. Maybe it is just because this is what I am used to, but it feels most effective to me now to continue to put the weight on the leg on the step. Funny how things work out sometimes. Jeanne