Single Leg Squat to Bilateral Cable Pull Down

Single Leg Squat to Bilateral Cable Pull Down:

1. With your client or patient facing the cable column, ask them to hold the handles of bands/cables, and assume a standing position with arms extended by the resistance.
   • Note, the amount of resistance for this exercise is likely to be relatively heavy; approximately as much as the individual could use during a seated row.
2. Ask your client or patient to lean back and counter the pull of the resistance without relying on it to maintain upright.
3. Ask your client or patient to lift the non-target leg so that it is 1-2" off the floor, but still close to the same position that would be assumed for a squat.
4. Your client or patient should then descend "straight-down" into a squat/sitting position, without relying on the bands/cables for stability, attempting to maintain tibia and torso parallel.
   • A common mistake is to sit down and back, "leaning" into the bands, and making it difficult to stand-up and pull with force.
5. Once your client or patient has achieved the bottom position, have them check their lower extremity alignment, draw-in, and prepare for the concentric phase.
6. Ask your client or patient to return to the starting position, by "squeezing" the glute complex and thrusting the hip forward of the target leg, while squeezing the elbows and shoulder blades back and down.
   • Note, achieving full hip extension while simultaneously achieving full scapular depression and shoulder adduction is more challenging than many anticipate. Often, patients/clients will reach the top of the movement in a semi-squat position. Cue your patient/client to achieve full hip extension, terminal knee extension and torso and lower extremity in-line at the top of each repetition.
7. Cue your client or patient to achieve full hip extension and terminal knee extension, with torso and lower extremity in-line at the top of each repetition.
   • Often, patients/clients will reach the top of the movement, but still be in a semi-squat or hip flexed (forward lean) position. Thrusting the hips forward and leaning back into the pulling motion is an important component of the concentric phase.
8. With control (and/or at the desired tempo), descend into the bottom of the squat while eccentrically decelerating the band/cable resistance. The arms should reach full extension as the bottom of the squat is achieved.
9. Repeat for the desired number of reps

Regressions and Progressions

• In Sequence: Similar to the description under "Squat to Row", this exercise can be performed as just a single-leg squat while holding the cables, and then a single-leg squat followed by regaining stability followed by a pull-down, and then a single-leg squat with simultaneous pull-down.
• Trade-off: When incorporating this exercise into a program, consideration should be given to the fact that increasing cable load, increases the load on the upper extremity, but decreases the load on the lower extremity. Finding the right load may depend on upper/lower extremity strength, stability, the client/patient's goals and some trial-and-error.
• Progressions: Increasing load and the addition of unstable surfaces, are appropriate progressions (depending on the patient/client's goal and the current phase of training). Further, advanced exerciser's may experiment with the angle of resistance, progressing from a vertical load to horizontal load will significantly increase the amount of load on the lower extremity.
• Limitations: Unfortunately, this exercise has several limitations. A single-leg squat to unilateral pull-down (in the frontal plane) may not be possible, it may not be practical to attempt this exercise with bands (most attempts have resulted in awkward variations), and this exercise may be limited to relatively tall cable columns with mobile cams that can be position overhead.