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>More Load on The Legs
While the total external loads used for single leg squats are typically less than in bilateral squats, the overall load on the legs is actually higher due to a phenomenon known as the bilateral deficit, which means that the sum of the forces produced by each leg is greater than the total bilateral force production. To understand this, it helps to use some calculations and real-world examples.
Once our athletes familiarize themselves with the exercise, it’s not uncommon for females to use anywhere from 20-50 pounds of external load and male athletes to use upwards of 75-110 pounds, sometimes more.
For example, one of my high school freshman hockey players recently performed six reps on each leg with 80 pounds of external load at a bodyweight of 176 pounds.
To calculate the load being placed on the working leg, we must first calculate his “super incumbent bodyweight,” which is the weight above the joint being used to lift the load, in this case, the knee.
If we estimate that the lower leg and foot weighs 12 pounds, then his superincumbent bodyweight during a single-leg squat would be 164 pounds. Add in the 80 pounds of external load and you get 244 pounds of load on the working leg.
Now let’s compare how much weight would be needed in a bilateral squat to get the same amount of load on each leg. During a back squat, the superincumbent bodyweight for this kid would be 152 pounds, so he’d need to squat 336 pounds for six reps to achieve the same overload on his legs. There’s no way in hell he could handle that weight for one rep, let alone six.
