This is a GREAT leg
exercise for those who train at home and
don't have a power rack to do barbell
leg training with. It's easy to set up
and you'll never get yourself stuck under
a loaded bar.
Don't get
me wrong, it's also a great exercise for
those who train in a gym, too! Heck, it's
good for everybody.
This one
is one is going to work not only your
entire lower body but also your core because
you're going to be supporting the weight
on just one shoulder. This uneven resistance
demands core strength and your abdominal
muscles will contract on the opposing
side to compensate for the load.
So anyway,
for this, all you'll need is a barbell
and a patch of floor.
Stand at
one end of the barbell and grab it.
Now push
it up so you're standing it up vertically.
Go down
on one knee and rest the center of the
bar on your shoulder. If it's your left
shoulder, your LEFT leg should be forward
and ready to push - you want to have your
pushing leg on the same side as the bar
is going to be otherwise your balance
will be all messed up.
Now grip
the bar with both hands a little in front
of you use your hands to push the barbell
up to a horizontal position (it'll require
some stabilization effort from your front
leg as well). You're in position and ready
to do the split squat!
Stand up.
Repeat for
all your reps on one side then come down
into the bottom position and tilt the
bar forward and stand it up on end again
(this is why you'll never get stuck under
the bar - it's easy to just set it on
end like this).
Now switch
over to your other leg. The bar will go
on your right shoulder and your right
leg should be forward.
Get the
end of the bar up so it rests on your
shoulder and the bar is horizontal.
Stand up.
Once you're
done, go to the bottom position and set
the barbell on end then stand up and lower
it down to the ground and you're done.
Here are
some side-view shots of the exercise:
When you
get more confident with the exercise you
can very easily just hold the bar with
one hand, too.
As I said,
great exercise you train at home and really
want to push your legs hard. It also has
the advantage of taking grip out of the
equation (which can be an issue with dumbells).
By resting the bar on your shoulder, you
still get the benefits of the barbell
without having to worry about safety.
And if you
train in a gym, the only thing to watch
out for is people walking around near
you when you start moving a barbell in
a way they're not used to. Otherwise,
go nuts with it!
