REPOST: Raw Strength (Squats on One Leg)

The following is a repost, back from October 2007 when MarksTraining.com was just starting out. Hope you enjoy it if you have never seen it before.

To be able to generate a hard shocking roundhouse or side kick requires strength in the legs. Training to obtain this strength is very hard without the use of weights and because your legs are big and powerful you may require a lot of weight, which means going to the gym.

Another alternative is the squat on one leg. There easy to do, and can be done anywhere. I like incorporating them straight after practising kicks on the heavy bag. Sometimes you see some people doing these by just extending there leg, as if holding a front kick, and squatting on there supporting leg in that position. I don't recommend this way as i find it places a lot of stress on the squatting knee.

Firstly i use a wall for balance (you don't have to use a wall but i like to work strength and balance separately). Then i get into the starting position which is the chambered position of a roundhouse kick (this will turn your supporting foot slightly). Holding the wall with one hand and the chambered foot with the other i start the squat, going just past parallel to the floor with my thigh. To finish the movement, i push so my leg is straight again (not locked) and perform a roundhouse kick with the chambered leg finishing again in the chambered position ready to squat again. This should all be done in a slow but fluid motion.

Usually i do this for ten repetitions each leg, and 4 sets.

It's a real burn in the thighs but excellent for building raw strength.

I felt it necessary to repost this article because I feel the one legged squat is an excellent training exercise for any martial artist of any style. It is an exercise which I have not performed in a while until recently and after carrying it out for a few weeks I have felt my leg strength and kicking power explode to new levels. The way I have been performing the exercise is the same as posted, however, if you have another way of doing it feel free to let us know in the comments section below.

Marks
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Tags: squats, martial arts, roundhouse, jiu jitsu

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