Single-Leg Exercises: The B-Stance Squat

The b-stance squat is a challenging single-leg exercise that has good carry over to the squat. Most athletic movements found in sports and everyday life require weight transfer to one leg: walking, running, and lunging for example. There are two categories of single leg exercises: supported and unsupported.

Split squats and their variations are single-leg supported exercises. Pistol squats, skater squats, and single-leg RDL’s are single-leg unsupported exercises.

Single-leg exercises like pistol squats train the glutes and external hip rotators to act as stabilizers of the hips. While the glutes and hip rotators play an important part in externally rotating the femur to keeping the knees out during the squat, their ability to control and resist movement is essential for hip and low-back stability.

From a flexibility and stability viewpoint (the emphasis of this blog) single leg exercises are great for improving and maintaining movement competency – they train both flexibility and stability. The Bulgarian split squat, skater squat, single-leg glute bridge, and pistol box squat are all great choices.

Bret Contreras wrote a great blog called, “What’s the Best Single Leg Exercise?” He recommends a variety of single-leg exercises and states that the best single leg exercise depends on your goals and fitness level.

Single-Leg Squat: The B-Stance Squat

Bret introduced a single leg squat called the B-Stance Squat that has a good transfer over to a regular squat. The advantage to this exercise is that the non-weighted foot remains on the floor for support, while most of the weight is still on the stance leg.

– Kevin Kula, “The Flexibility Coach” – Creator of FlexibilityRx™

Tags: b-stance squat, best unilateral exercises, bulgarian split squat, pistol squat, Single Leg RDL, single-leg exercises, single-leg training, skater squat, unilateral strength training