How To Perform A Skater Squat

The Skater Squat is a single leg squat with a knee tap. Think of it a a cross between a Reverse Lunge Pistol Squat.

Since the back leg never touches the ground, the stabilizing muscles of the ankle knee and hip become strong and stable.

How To Do A Skater Squat

1. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand. Holding a plate with two hands is another option. *The weight acts as a counterbalance. Don’t load up. Down below I’ve listed ways to increase the difficulty.
2. Stand on one foot by bending the opposite leg to 90º.
3. With your weight evenly distributed on the support leg, lean forward slightly then begin to descend.
4. As you descend press the weight straight out in front. *The higher your hands go the easier to maintain an upright posture.
5. Once your back knee touches the pad, drive through the heel of the support leg to return to your start position.
6. Repeat for prescribed number of reps. Then switch legs.

Once you get good at these wearing a weight vest or draping chains around your neck adds weight and increases difficulty. Then you can stand on a low box to increase range of motion making it even more challenging.

Conversely, you can increase the hight of the pad to limit your range of motion making it easier.

Variations

• Reach your arms across your body to increase glute recruitment.
• Eccentrics only.
• Concentric only. Stand up on one. Lower on two like you would in a split squat. *Pick up your back foot before you stand. This keeps you honest by eliminating any assistance from the second leg.
• Change your grip. Use a Landmine Base or Kettlebell.
• Add a band for Reactive Neuromuscular Training (RNT). Like in the video below.

Other Names

Like every other exercise in the fitness world, the Skater Squat has more aliases than a Russian spy. Here are a few of the most common.

• King Squat
• Single Leg Squat
• Knee-Tap Squat