- If you could choose one exercise
for strengthening your legs, this should be it.
(bright upbeat music)
The four advantages of this exercise are:
- Number one, it's very functional.
If you need to pick up something from the floor,
you're gonna do the exact same motion there,
Bob has gotta pick up my shoe,
and now you can get back up.
And this is something that we do.
Particularly as we get older,
this can be challenging,
but if you exercise the way you should lift,
becomes very easy.
- The second advantage to the split squat
is you're gonna focus on single-leg strengthening.
When you compare it to a normal squat.
When you do normal squat like I am,
if you have one weak or injured leg,
you can really compensate and lean towards one side,
which is gonna lead to muscle imbalances,
improper leg development,
and it's not gonna benefit your athleticism as much.
- Another big advantage to this exercise
is it strengthens most all the muscles in your legs.
It's great for the quads, the hamstrings,
and that's dynamic movement.
But we'll also have isometric strengthening going on
with the adductors, the groin muscles,
and the A-B ductors here,
which stabilizes your gait with your walk.
You really cannot go wrong with it.
We're also getting the glute maximus,
and you cannot go wrong
when you strengthen the glute maximus.
Bob says, excellent job.
- And the fourth advantage is,
to do this exercise, for beginners,
no equipment is necessary.
However, if you are new to this and unsteady,
you can definitely use support with a bench.
You can use a cane, or a Booyah Stik,
or something to support yourself.
You don't wanna fall over
when you're first trying this exercise.
The advanced version is the Bulgarian split squat,
also known as the rear elevated split squat.
So you wanna get an object
that is about knee height behind you.
This can be a bench at a gym, a solid chair,
a stool like this.
Then you wanna get your other foot
about two to three feet in front of your back foot
for support.
Do you want to continue on, Brad?
- Yes, I do, Mike.
Okay. The position of the toe, as you can see,
Mike has it plantar flexed,
or so the top of the toe is touching,
or you can curl it like this.
I personally use this way,
do whatever's most comfortable for you.
Next, there is an imaginary line here,
which we made a real red line.
That's the midline,
it goes right down between the legs.
This foot should be over, plenty far over.
Don't get too far to the middle,
you'll lose your balance.
If you do have balance problems,
grab a stick or a piece of furniture, use that for balance.
Mike, do you need that for balance?
You're good without it?
Oh, I'm okay without.
Good, 'cause I need that thing.
(Mike laughing)
All right.
The next thing is this shoulder's gonna be up and square.
So if Mike was this way, that would be very awkward.
And we do not like that. Keep it square.
The hips are square.
And now go ahead and demonstrate, Mike.
- You wanna go down.
Do not go too far forward. Do not lean too far back.
Try to stay upright with your trunk.
You're gonna need some hip mobility in your back leg.
If you don't have good hip mobility,
gonna feel a real big stretch here.
But the strengthening is supposed to be on the leg in front.
Do not push with this back leg.
That's not how the exercise is meant to work.
It is supposed to work this front leg.
If you want it more challenging, if you're advanced,
- [Brad] Ooh! you can grab a weight.
You can place it on the opposite side.
You can hold it here.
People use dumbbells, kettlebells
barbell on your back, whatever.
That's more for advanced people.
But this is a good single-leg strengthening exercise.
And you wanna make sure to focus on this front leg,
and bend it to 90 degrees when you go down.
- But wait, there's one more thing.
For us older people, probably not gonna use the weight.
And if you experience knee pain, go ahead,
and let's say knee pain, no knee pain, no knee pain.
And you get to there, and your knee starts to hurt.
Stop. You can still do these, but don't go to the pain.
Just do a shallow split squat,
until your knee accommodates to it,
and you can get worked through that.
So back to the stronger, younger people, Mike.
- Another thing to look for is knee cave.
So if your knee starts to track in, this is a no-no.
You need to work on your hip abductors more.
Don't let this leg cross over, either.
You're gonna fall over and be very unstable.
- [Brad] Yes, good point, Mike.
- I think we hit everything.
Did we miss anything?
- I think so. Just the repetitions.
- Start out with 10 reps if possible, per leg.
Build up your tolerance.
If you're already a gym goer and do this all the time,
you could probably do three sets of 10, no problem.
- Right.
- Whatever makes your workout, your goals appropriate.
I do one set of 10 every, not every time I work out,
and it's a maintenance program for myself.
So if you're able to give the split squat a try, go ahead.
I use it only in the winter months.
- And it-
- Go ahead.
- Oh, and it may become your new favorite exercise.
- That's right.
So remember this, if you find a neighbor
or a friend in need,
- Always give them some help.
- No, be helpful.
- Be helpful, same thing.
- Okay. You're right.
We're talking in circles again
(bright upbeat music)