OpenTube

A Complete Guide to Single Leg Training

Alec Blenis

51,892 views

0:00 - intro
1:54 - minimizing exercise redundancy
4:57 - note on asymmetries
7:52 - it's all in the hips
9:28 - pros & cons of "sparing the back"
13:55 - stability as a limiting factor
17:13 - out of breath during single leg work?
21:17 - review of contralateral vs ipsilateral variations
26:25 - hip abduction accessory work
28:50 - hip airplane deep dive
32:33 - seated abduction isometric
36:02 - side plank hip dip deep dive
39:10 - the adductor group
40:56 - copenhagen plank dips
44:46 - isolated hip rotation
52:00 - training the hip flexors
54:06 - single leg hip flexor sit-up
55:45 - rectus femoris for split squat & lunge strength
57:21 - single leg strength tiers-list

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20 Comments

@alecblenis Creator 5 months ago Pinned

Note/correction at 47:55 - for clarity I should have referenced the subscapularis not infraspinatus!

@MrScottyT21 5 months ago

How this level of information is being given out for free is mental. So much great stuff & will be utilising in my training, love the look of the landmine RDL. Thanks for sharing Alec.

@heigx8395 5 months ago

The good thing about your videos is that you explain what is actually happening, instead of just saying "do this". It's possible to modify pretty much all standard leg exercises with the information layed out on hips and muscle recruitment and there's no need to show all single-legged variations of all exercises.

@MennoniteMensch 5 months ago

The quality and quantity of the content you're putting out is unmatched. Thank you for your work

@nicholasbasile6113 5 months ago

Dude, I think this was the best one yet. It was well-structured, well-explained, and broken down into simpler actionable setups/steps. Excellent work!!

@misfitofua 4 months ago

i took this video title quite seriously.
i’m over here with a single leg. just one.

@AnaRita.Strength.Mobility 5 months ago

OMG this video was one of the best content videos that I ever came across! I am a lover of single leg training paired with bilateral and you explained things so well and to be honest you just improved not only my training but also my coaching! Thank you

@angusbradley92 5 months ago

Love hearing ipsilateral/contralateral loading getting flamed 🙌

@zeppman666 5 months ago

I really enjoy watching people talking things they do know. I learned so much from this video, even after 10+ years of training.
One of the most valuable contents on the Tube. Thank you so much!

@hardstyle_with_heart 5 months ago

Can’t thank you enough for this very in-depth and thorough review of single leg training. Really appreciate your analysis of the topic and your thoughtful approach to summarizing it all. Keep up the great work and thanks once again for providing all of this for free!

@willbutonline784 5 months ago

What a fantastic video

@TheLethalknife 5 months ago

I just found your channel and I have to say the content of this video is incredible. It made me completely rethink how to do unilateral work and what I should be shooting for. Specifically eliminating redundancies and also not gassing myself out when doing each leg.

@Dps.96 4 months ago

I’ve been binging your longer form content, these videos have really helped me take concepts I’ve learned as a trainer/lifting enthusiast and really help organize and apply them, and also questioning things a bit more. Would love to see a deep dive on shoulder training, you briefly mentioned the rotator cuff being more complex than the hip rotators. Would love to learn how you like to train them and apply them in your programming.

@sumotofu 2 months ago

This is an incredible resource for all sorts of people, and I really appreciate your work. I'll be looking to include a lot of this in my sumo training!

@kimbberland 4 months ago

I just want to shout out the knowledge in this video. I broke my leg in the fall and I'm living that single leg training life to build back. My PT has been awesome, but this is super helpful too! Never thought about the landmine! Inspiring me to see my unilateral work not just as recovery, but an opportunity to totally build my hip and leg strength in a way I never would have otherwise!

@bintanggemilang2448 5 months ago

next shoulders mobility?

@Hbishop007 3 months ago

Great video, surprised weighted step ups didn’t make the cut or other varieties as they have the most carryover to real life single leg hiking and walking etc. Also for hip abduction Brett Contreras has a side lateral thrust you might be interested in. I liked the emphasis you placed on stability single leg exercises to ensure strength can continue though, very insightful. Thanks

@Aatell764 5 months ago

First video of yours, great stuff man. I focus heavily on single leg work. I lost all my toes to frostbite and feel its even more so important for me to be strong on one leg. But boy do I love squatting 4 plates. Hard to work single leg stuff in sometimes.

@felix12427 5 months ago

This is one of the best videos I've seen in a long time - One can really tell that you've been acually working with real people unlike most influencers nowadays. Thank you for posting this!!

@genin69 5 months ago

I prefer doing single leg exercises that mimic actual daily life tasks. forward and side lunges that go deep. going doing on one knee, with ass touching grass depth, single leg jumps forward and also sideways