drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
Spilt squats. Arguably the best exercise for your legs, maybe even normal squats. You get the same if not better selective targeting of the leg and glutes musculature, and you do so without having to load the spine. They are pretty safe assuming you can keep your balance on one leg.
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There are a lot of variables that go into this exercise. Like where you hold the weight; How high your back leg is; your torso angle; foot angle; etc. But today we look at the knee and how far away the front leg is compared to the back.
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A shorter step will allow for a greater knee angle. That means the knee goes further towards your toes. This places a great deal of demand on the quads and you still get a good glute exercise.
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Now, if you step out further and further, the ability of your knee to travel forward decreases. This places more of the load at the hip and on your hamstrings.
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So if you’re looking for a great glute exercise with added emphasis to the front (quads) or back (hamstrings) of your legs, alter your distance from your back leg.
.
There are a lot of variables that go into this exercise. Like where you hold the weight; How high your back leg is; your torso angle; foot angle; etc. But today we look at the knee and how far away the front leg is compared to the back.
.
A shorter step will allow for a greater knee angle. That means the knee goes further towards your toes. This places a great deal of demand on the quads and you still get a good glute exercise.
.
Now, if you step out further and further, the ability of your knee to travel forward decreases. This places more of the load at the hip and on your hamstrings.
.
So if you’re looking for a great glute exercise with added emphasis to the front (quads) or back (hamstrings) of your legs, alter your distance from your back leg.
