The benefits of the single-leg squat touch
This exercise helps improve your balance and proprioception (your awareness of how you move and position yourself). When bending down and rising up from the touchdown, your legs and core work together to stabilise the movement. When squatting down, your quads, hamstrings, and glutes activate to power you through.
How to do the single-leg squat touch
- Stand up straight on a yoga mat.
- Lift your right foot off the floor, extend your leg behind you, and soften your left knee.
- Activate your core.
- Inhale and squat down as far as possible on your left leg, reaching your left hand toward the floor. When you've squatted as far as you can, bend from the hips to touch the ground with your left hand.
- Keep your back neutral throughout.
- Exhale, squeeze your glutes and rise up to complete one rep.
- Complete 10-15 reps and repeat for the other side.
- Do sets depending on your ability.
Tip: When reaching toward the floor, concentrate on bending the knee into a lunge rather than bending over from the waist/hips.
Support the single-leg squat touch
Bauerfeind’s Sports Achilles Ankle Support provides support and compression for better performance during workouts.
- Compression reduces the rate of muscle fatigue
- It improves your awareness of how your body moves throughout the squat
- And it helps protect the ankle joint from harm
The ankle brace will boost blood flow to the Achilles tendon, helping it stay loose and relaxed through the squat. Achilles pads work to activate the muscles supporting the tendon for extra protection.
About Olympic Gold Medallist Thomas Roehler:
Thomas Roehler is a professional track and field athlete competing in the javelin throw. He is a 2016 Olympic Gold Medallist with a personal best of 93.90 m. With a passion for fitness, Thomas is showing us some of his favourite exercises to start the year with healthy habits and achieve your goals, whether you are just getting started or have been working out for a long time.
