How to Squat More Weight WITHOUT SQUATTING!
- Leg Workout Tip
We all know that, in order to get the most consistent gains, you are going to want to
get yourself in the gym and take it one day at a time.
Today I am going to show you, when it comes to leg training, if you want to get the most
explosive, powerful and big legs, you might want to start thinking about training on one
leg at a time.
Video Intro - ATHLEANX TRAIN LIKE AN ATHLETE
What's up guys?
Jeff Cavaliere, ATHLEANX.COM.
Don't adjust your computer screen; yes I have a shirt on.
But you know that's when shit gets serious here because we are going to talk about a
topic that I think needs to be addressed.
And that is, when it comes to leg strength and developing bigger legs more powerful legs
and stronger legs, then you have got to start looking at the single leg training.
Now, if you think that I am going to bash the squat in this exercise, in this video,
then stop the video and go watch a different one, because I am not going to bash the squat.
I think that particularly for beginners the squat exercise is a great fundamental movement
to learn.
And it actually is going to teach you the proper body mechanics to set up all other
functions.
But with that said, I think when you look at the criteria that I have for most of our
Athlean exercises, what is it that I look for when I'm trying to figure out my go to
exercise, when it comes to leg training, shoulder training, anything.
Number One, it has got to allow for a safe overload.
So when I am saying overload, you have to be able to progressively add more of a challenge.
Whether that be weight, speed, time and attention, whatever that may be.
But in the form of weight, we want you to have the opportunity for safe overload
Secondly, I have to have a high or the highest functional carryover.
Now if you are a squatter, there is a lot of functional carryover from squatting.
You can jump higher, you can be more explosive, and especially if you are an offensive lineman,
you know, right off the line you have to have that drive.
But I don't think it is the highest functional carryover because when we look at athletics
and we look at how athletes function, you are almost always on one leg or the other.
Or you have one leg split in front of the other, because you are running.
There is a lot more carryover, to me, and a lot more importance on developing strength
in single leg that also will fit the criteria for number one.
And this is where I think squats are falling short.
When I say Allows for a Safe Overload, you guys all know if you have been squatting,
when you start to overload that bar and put the heavy weights on, start piling up the
45's, what is going to limit you from seeing how strong you can actually be, is going to
be your back.
And I am saying that out of experience.
And also saying that, having trained a lot of athletes who succumbed to the weaker back
because the legs are almost always going to be stronger than the back.
And as a kinetic chain guys, we are always talking about the kinetic chain; one weak
link makes the whole chain crack.
So the hips and the low back are almost always never going to be able to handle the large
amounts of weights, as you start to pile on those plates.
So what does that mean for us.
We have got to start looking at single leg training.
And what that affords us is the opportunity to load, in a way, that is a lot less damaging
to our spines and back and then unlock the power of your legs in the process.
So if you look at some single leg exercises, and I am going to show you some of them right
now, you'll see that a common thing here is that I can still overload.
If you are looking at this version of the squat, guys if you are a big heavy back squatter,
load this sucker up but I'm going to limit you to one leg.
Kick your other leg back into the Bulgarian Split and start doing your squats that way.
What you are going to find, if you take your single leg squat which could be like your
one rep backs.
Llets says its 300 pounds, let's make it 150 on the right and 150 on the left, let's make
that assumption.
Try to kill that back legs involvement.
So don't be pushing off your back toe on the bench, but rest your foot back there, and
concentrate on getting all your weight up front.
What you are going to find is if you drop your one rep backs, cut it in half and start
doing single leg squatting.
You can do more than one.
You should only be able to do one or two.
You are going to find yourself knocking out a lot more reps than you expected.
And the reason why guys, is that your legs are a lot more stronger than you ever thought
they were.
The problem is when you are doing your back squats.
Most likely your back is not going to be able to bear that load, and it is going to give
in far before your leg strength does.
So what does that allow you to do?
It allows you to overload.
In these other exercises I am showing you here, whether you're doing a one arm over
your head here, this guy is going to allow you to overload and also kind of reinforce
proper posture.
Which is something that doesn't really stay true when you are doing a lot of squatting.
Especially as it gets heavy, you might tend to lean forward to much.
Another thing, you want to be explosive?
You can start doing these explosive leg jump squats
These things guys, again, you are powering up one leg.
You are overloading but you are not having to bear weight to your spine and you have
the opportunity to do these same variations to actually become more explosive.
The bottom line guys, is the back is always going to be your weak link.
And I don't want it to be, because if it is, it is going to prevent you from getting the
biggest legs that you can.
And the reason why that we include a lot of single leg activities in AthleanX, in addition
to deadlifting, in addition to squatting.
We want to make sure that we are being explosive.
We want to make sure that we are allowing your safe overload and most of all we want
to have high functional carryover.
So that when you get back out to do whatever it is that you do, whether it be to play sports
or whether it is just to look good.
You are going to be able to put a lot more weight on that bar and overload those legs
in a way that will allow you to grow bigger and stronger each time you hit that gym.
Guy,s if you want to experience what AthleanX Training is about and see how we incorporate
the science behind the strength and start putting in the things that you guys need,
maybe sometimes the things that you overlook.
And I think I do it at times as well but we have to sometimes come back to basics.
And say how are we really meant to train.
And this is how your body is meant to train.
Head over to ATHLEANX.COM right now and go grab the Athlean X Training System and start
unlocking, not just bigger legs, but bigger upper body, more powerful, a strong ribbed
core.
The idea guys is becoming a better version of you in the next 90 days.
If you head over there now and grab the program I guarantee you'll see that.
See you guys back here in 7 days, in the meantime have a great rest of your week.