What is a sensible starting dose for the skater squat, and what should you be able to do first?

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps per leg using a folded pad under the knee and a shallow range, adding depth before you add reps. You should already own a solid single-leg balance, such as a controlled rear-foot-elevated split squat, before trying to hinge this deep on one leg.

How do you make the skater squat easier or harder?

To make it easier, hold onto a wall or a suspension strap with one hand, shorten the range, or keep a pad under the knee for a light landing. To make it harder, remove the pad, reach for a full knee-to-floor range, or hold a light dumbbell against your chest once bodyweight control is solid.

What is the skater squat good for, and who should avoid it?

It builds much of the single-leg strength of a pistol squat with an easier position for the knee, which suits lifters and athletes chasing unilateral strength without needing deep ankle mobility. Avoid it if you have current knee pain or poor single-leg balance, since the exercise asks for real control the moment you start descending, with nothing to catch you but your own leg.

Advanced

Skater Squat

Balancing on one leg and folding at the hip while the free leg reaches back lets you lower deeply until the rear knee kisses the floor, loading the standing quad and glute through a long single-leg range. It builds much of the strength of a pistol squat with a friendlier position for the knee and less ankle mobility required. This is an advanced unilateral drill that demands real balance and control.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Glutes, Quads
Type: Balance, Strength
Browse by muscle: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Browse by movement: Squat

How to do it

1
Stand tall on one leg with the other foot lifted slightly behind you.
2
Hinge at the hip and bend the standing knee to lower toward the floor.
3
Let the rear leg sweep back and down as you descend, reaching for a light knee tap.
4
Touch the rear knee softly to the floor or a pad while keeping the standing heel planted.
5
Drive through the standing leg to return to a tall single-leg stand.
6
Complete all reps on one leg, then switch sides.

Tips

Reach the arms forward as a counterbalance to help you sit back and stay upright.
Tap the rear knee down softly rather than crashing into the floor.
Place a folded pad under the knee at first and reduce it as your control improves.

Variations

Common mistakes

The standing heel lifts off the floor near the bottom, which is usually the first sign that the hip hinge has turned into a forward-falling squat.
The standing knee drifts inward as fatigue sets in near the end of the set, since a tiring single leg tends to buckle toward the midline under load.
Reaching depth before the hip and ankle have the mobility to control it forces the torso to fold forward to get the knee to the floor.
The rear leg does a visible push off the floor at the bottom to help stand back up, turning a single-leg squat into a two-leg one for the hardest part of the rep.
Rushing straight into full-depth reps on a new surface or shoe before the balance has been grooved is a common way this one causes a rolled ankle.

Frequently asked

What is a sensible starting dose for the skater squat, and what should you be able to do first?: Start with 2 to 3 sets of 4 to 6 reps per leg using a folded pad under the knee and a shallow range, adding depth before you add reps. You should already own a solid single-leg balance, such as a controlled rear-foot-elevated split squat, before trying to hinge this deep on one leg.
How do you make the skater squat easier or harder?: To make it easier, hold onto a wall or a suspension strap with one hand, shorten the range, or keep a pad under the knee for a light landing. To make it harder, remove the pad, reach for a full knee-to-floor range, or hold a light dumbbell against your chest once bodyweight control is solid.
What is the skater squat good for, and who should avoid it?: It builds much of the single-leg strength of a pistol squat with an easier position for the knee, which suits lifters and athletes chasing unilateral strength without needing deep ankle mobility. Avoid it if you have current knee pain or poor single-leg balance, since the exercise asks for real control the moment you start descending, with nothing to catch you but your own leg.

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