Bodyweight vs weighted single leg training - What you need to know

Contents

• Introduction
• If you can’t or don't want to add load you need to add sets to your routine to make progress
• How many weekly sets are needed for higher rep training
• How to increase the number of sets in a training session to reach sufficient training stimulus
• Overall fatigue management within a workout
• Example bodyweight only leg workouts
• Other tips
• My thoughts
• Summary

Introduction

In most bodyweight routines it is common to recommend replacing bodyweight leg training with weight training. But most of us don't have a squat rack and a big weight set at home. Usually it is stated that back squatting is the only way to build sufficient leg strength and size. This is partially true since the single leg squats equals to about 95xBodyweight back squat. This means that even when you perform a set of 20 reps with this weight your 1 rep max (1RM) is only around 1.5x bodyweight. This level of strength is quite low and any decent back squatter will lift that weight for 10 reps or more and will have 1RM of 2x bodyweight. But for sure when you reach 20 reps on single leg squats you are already at an intermediate level. Which is a good starting point to progress towards the advanced strength level.

Progressing towards the advanced strength level can be done by using a moderate load and higher rep range 10-20 reps. This can be accomplished by using an additional weight for single leg squats ranging from 0.15…0.3x bodyweight. This is a fairly low amount of weight that can be acquired with a simple set of adjustable dumbbells for example. Usually a set of adjustable dumbbells weigh a total of 20 kg (45 lbs). So even heavier individuals (100kg or 220lbs) would get an additional 0.2x bodyweight of weight added to single leg squats.

If you can’t or don't want to add load you need to add sets to your routine to make progress

When training with weights you can increase the intensity and progress with a moderate number of weekly sets 8-12 sets. And you can use similar routines as for weight lifting in terms of training volume and frequency.

If you train with higher intensity in relation to your 1 rep max you need a lower number of total weekly sets to make progress. But when you are training with less than 60% of your one rep max (above the 20 rep range) the sets you do don’t generate much muscle damage compared to the high intensity sets. This means that the minimum number of sets required to make noticeable muscle and strength gains is likely higher. Even though in literature it is indicated that the rate of muscle gain is similar for high loads (6-12 reps 75..85% of 1RM) and low loads (20-30 reps 60..50% of 1RM) when volume is matched. But it's not all black and white. 

My personal experience is that low load training requires a bit more training volume (more weekly sets) than low rep work to be effective. Even when the high rep sets are taken close or to failure. This is mainly because even when doing the same exercise the lighter sets do less muscle damage and require more sets to make muscles respond to training.

It took some effort to find something to back up this claim but here is a quote from Mike Israetel volume landmarks:

"Generally speaking, the heavier and more full ROM the exercise is, the lower your MEVs and MRVs for it are going to be."

This means that if you use a lower weight on the same exercise you will need to perform a higher number of sets to reach a similar hypertrophic response as for the high resistance sets.

How many weekly sets is needed for higher rep training?

When you are intermediate or above you need higher volume for bodyweight leg training than in normal weight lifting routines. If you are at least intermediate you probably need 12-20sets or more to make progress when training with bodyweight only. This is because as soon as you reach about 20 reps on your pistol squat (or any other single leg squat) the load is already below 60% of 1RM. For me the single leg squat is around 50% (or less) of my 1 rep max weight. Meaning that if I perform straight sets of single leg squats I end up reaching a rep count between 25-30 reps.

How to increase the number of sets in a training session to reach sufficient training stimulus? 

If you are like me and have limited time to train in a week, the higher volume requirement will slow down or stop your progress eventually. But if you train the same muscle group 2x a week (for example with 4 training days a week with an upper lower split) you can reach a sufficient training weekly volume to make progress even with lighter sets. But if you train with a 1x week frequency the training sessions will become exhausting since you need to train each leg individually for the required number of sets (12 or more). This makes bodyweight leg training challenging when you are more advanced and if you have a limited time and energy to train.

Overall fatigue management within a workout

In order to be successful in increasing the number of weekly sets you need to choose easier exercises that produce a good stimulus for the target muscles but generate less overall fatigue. This means that a regular pistol squat is not a good choice since it requires a significant amount of balance and hip flexor strength from the non working leg and these become the limiting factor. You should use something easier that still provides full range of motion.Elevated pistol squats, step downs or step ups and deficit skater squats work well. As a secondary exercise choose something that gives a full range of motion but requires less stability. For example deficit bulgarian split squats or ring supported pistol squats. Finish the training session with two leg quad focused exercise such as the wall supported heel elevated squat, heel elevated squat, sissy squat or natural quad extension.

Do 5+4+3 sets or 4+4+4 sets to provide 12 total sets in a single workout when training once a week.

If you train twice a week you can do 4+4 sets in one session for a total of 16 sets per week. 

Increasing sets above 12 sets in a workout takes time and the overall set quality is lowered if you are not well conditioned. If you train with a full body split 3x week just bump up the number of sets on each session to 4 or 5 sets.

Example bodyweight only leg workouts for intermediates:

Bodyweight leg workout 1x week (10-12 weekly sets)

4-5x Elevated pistol squat or deep step up

3-4x Deficit bulgarian split squat

3x Natural quad extension or heel elevated quad squats

Bodyweight leg workout 2x week (12-16 weekly sets)

3-4x Elevated pistol squat or deep step up

3-4x Deficit bulgarian split squat or natural quad extension

Bodyweight leg workout 3x week (12-15 weekly sets)

4-5x Elevated pistol squat or other single leg squats

Other tips

Use slow and paused reps to control fatigue on single leg exercises

From my experience doing low load high rep work is very fatiguing. For example paused pistol squats with regular 2-1-2 tempo or 2-1-1 tempo for 25-30 reps is quite taxing on you. If you manipulate tempo or range of motion you can reach failure on the target muscles much faster and generate less overall fatigue. For example single leg squats with no top lockout, 1.5 reps or slow tempo squats with 4-1-4 tempo (I like to use 2 deep breaths down and 2 up to match the tempo on each rep). For me there is a huge difference in how exhausted I am after 5 sets of regular paused pistol squats (25-30reps per set) compared to the 4-1-4 tempo squats (8-10 reps per set). The target muscle (quads) reach a failure point in both but with 4-1-4 tempo I don’t generate the same amount of overall fatigue and don’t run out of breath.

Moderately weighted single leg squats

You don't need much additional weight for the single leg squats. Unless you do weighted bulgarian split squats or regular split squats as your main exercise. Then you will need a significant amount of additional load depending on your stance and on how much assistance you get from the rear foot. Lifting 1x bodyweight for bulgarian split or more for reps is quite common once you get good at the lift.

You can reach sufficient load with relatively small weights starting from 0.15x (15% of bodyweight) up to 0.3xBW and train in the rep range of 10-20 reps. You can train in the lower 4-8 rep range but the injury risk is going to increase. Also when performing heavy single leg squats it is easy to cheat on your way up. What usually happens is that when you reach a sticking point in a lift you naturally start to lean forward with the weight that pulls your hips up. Then you finish the lift with a hip extension movement and you “good morning” the weight up. This is commonly seen on youtube where athletes perform heavy pistol squat singles.

My thoughts

Regular pistol squat is not the best exercise to build quad size. I do them for fun and because they are challenging. But performing a high number of reps is going to be taxing on the hip flexors on the non working leg. Also if I would completely stop regular pistol squats it would take some weeks or months before I would build my hip flexor strength back up required for this exercise. So it is a “use it or lose it” game and I like to keep the regular pistol squat as a tool.

I've been able to maintain my quad size with bodyweight single leg training but making gains has proven to be a difficult task. I built my paused ATG pistol squat from 20+ reps to 30 reps without any noticeable gains. But I used a lower volume approach with 9 sets a week. Eventually I increased the single session volume to 12 sets. But I definitely do not enjoy this much leg work in one session. This included 9 sets of single leg work (elevated pistol squats and deficit bulgarian split squat) and 3 sets of two leg work (wall quad squats or natural quad extension).

After experimenting with bodyweight leg training only for over a year, I think it's time to go back to weighted single leg squats. It is more time efficient and I enjoy a moderate amount of sets in a workout. Plan is to work in the 10-20 rep range with the pistol and elevated pistol squat instead of the low rep range 4-6 reps I did before. As a supplementary exercise for the quads I will use the quad squat, wall supported quad squat or natural quad extension depending how I feel. And for the hamstrings some suspended hamstring curls or assisted nordic curls.

Summary

• You can build quad size with bodyweight only if you increase your weekly number of sets above the required threshold. This number of sets is usually on the high side between 12-20 sets or even more once you have reached intermediate strenght levels.
• It is difficult to accumulate enough training stimulus in a single session with straight sets when training with bodyweight only. After 9 or 12 sets the performance will definitely decline and your ability to perform stimulus to the target muscle is impacted.
• You can use light weights to load the single squats and work in the 10-20 rep zone to make progress with a moderate amount of weekly sets (8-12sets). 15% to 30% of bodyweight as an additional weight will work. If you want to lift heavy in the range of 4-8 reps you will need more weight and injury risk will be increased.
• You can start to add weight once you can do 12 reps of a selected bodyweight single leg squat of your choice. Or work your way up to the 20 rep zone with bodyweight and then start to add sets if progress stalls for an extended period of time.

Hope this helps you to progress in your bodyweight or weighted single leg training!