"The barbell squat is one of the best leg exercises you can do," says personal trainer Gideon Remfry. "It recruits a huge number of muscles, burns loads of calories and aids co-ordination. If you’re not yet a squatter, the VMO single-leg squat move will help you build the strength and stability you need to squat properly. If it’s already part of your workout, it’ll help you lift more weight."
"This move helps by stabilising joints and promoting good technique. The single-leg VMO squat targets a common area of weakness," says Remfry. "The VMO, or vastus medialis obliquus, is the muscle above your knee on the inner thigh. A weak VMO can cause bad alignment of the knees and this can lead to injury."
How To Do The VMO Single-Leg Squat
Sets 2 Reps 8-12 each side
Stand on one leg on a step and lower your free leg down to the floor, keeping your bent knee in line with your little toe rather than your big toe. You’ll feel like you are forcing your knee out slightly, but that means you’re targeting the VMO.
More About Squats
- Try the 30-day squat challenge to build functional muscle
- The dumbbell squat is a useful stepping stone towards the barbell squat, and a great lower-body exercise in its own right
- Get style points and a ton of benefits from mastering the pistol squat, another one-legged squat variation
