Single-Leg Box Squat

Muscles worked by the Single-Leg Box Squat

Primary

GlutesGluteus MaximusQuadsQuadriceps Femoris

Secondary

AdductorsHip AdductorsGlute MediusGluteus MediusHamstringsHamstring Muscles

Also called: glute, glutes, gluteus maximus, buttocks, butt, quad.

Equipment

Plyo Box

Also called: plyometric box, jump box, step-up box, soft plyo box, 3-in-1 box.

How to do the Single-Leg Box Squat

1. Stand in front of a sturdy box or bench that is about knee height, with your back to it.
2. Shift your weight onto one leg and lift the other leg out in front of you, with your arms stretched forward for balance.
3. Push your hips back and bend the standing knee, lowering yourself under control toward the box.
4. Sit lightly on the box without dropping onto it, keeping your chest up and the free leg off the floor.
5. Press through the whole standing foot and straighten that leg to stand up again.
6. Complete the planned repetitions, then repeat on the other leg.

Form tips

• Choose a higher box to start; lower it as your strength and control improve.
• Keep the knee of the standing leg tracking over your toes and your heel on the floor.
• Touch the box with your hips rather than relaxing onto it, and use the arms as a counterweight.

At a glance

Single-Leg Box Squat in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Balance Dome Squat
• Balance Dome Squat Hold
• Banded Squat
• Barbell Back Squat
• Barbell Box Squat
• Barbell Bulgarian Split Squat
• Barbell Isometric Squat Hold
• Barbell Zercher Hold

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "single-leg-box-squat",
  "name_en": "Single-Leg Box Squat",
  "name_de": "Einbeiniger Box Squat",
  "name_es": "Sentadilla en Caja a Una Pierna",
  "description_en": "A single-leg squat in which you sit back onto a box and stand up again on the same leg, with the other leg held out in front of you. The box limits the depth and gives you a target to reach, so it is a controlled way to build toward the pistol squat.",
  "description_de": "Eine einbeinige Kniebeuge, bei der du dich auf eine Box zurücksetzt und auf demselben Bein wieder aufstehst, das andere Bein vor dir gestreckt. Die Box begrenzt die Tiefe und gibt dir ein Ziel, sodass dies ein kontrollierter Weg zum Pistol Squat ist.",
  "description_es": "Una sentadilla a una pierna en la que te sientas hacia atrás sobre una caja y te levantas de nuevo con la misma pierna, con la otra pierna extendida al frente. La caja limita la profundidad y te da un objetivo que alcanzar, por lo que es una forma controlada de progresar hacia la sentadilla pistola.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "push",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "intermediate",
  "equipment": "plyo_box",
  "body_part": "upper_legs",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "gluteus_maximus",
    "quadriceps"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "adductors",
    "gluteus_medius",
    "hamstrings"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "strength",
    "hypertrophy"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "leg_day",
    "calisthenics",
    "no_axial_load",
    "lower_back_safe",
    "shoulder_safe"
  ],
  "variation_group": "squat",
  "is_unilateral": true,
  "is_bodyweight": false,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Stand in front of a sturdy box or bench that is about knee height, with your back to it.",
    "Shift your weight onto one leg and lift the other leg out in front of you, with your arms stretched forward for balance.",
    "Push your hips back and bend the standing knee, lowering yourself under control toward the box.",
    "Sit lightly on the box without dropping onto it, keeping your chest up and the free leg off the floor.",
    "Press through the whole standing foot and straighten that leg to stand up again.",
    "Complete the planned repetitions, then repeat on the other leg."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Stelle dich mit dem Rücken vor eine stabile Box oder Bank, die etwa kniehoch ist.",
    "Verlagere dein Gewicht auf ein Bein und hebe das andere Bein vor dir an, die Arme zur Balance nach vorn gestreckt.",
    "Schiebe die Hüfte nach hinten und beuge das Standbein, dann senke dich kontrolliert zur Box ab.",
    "Setze dich leicht auf die Box, ohne dich darauffallen zu lassen, und halte dabei die Brust aufrecht und das freie Bein vom Boden abgehoben.",
    "Drücke dich über den ganzen Standfuß und strecke das Bein, um wieder aufzustehen.",
    "Führe die geplante Anzahl an Wiederholungen aus und wiederhole dann mit dem anderen Bein."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Colócate de espaldas a una caja o banco firme que esté aproximadamente a la altura de las rodillas.",
    "Pasa el peso a una pierna y eleva la otra pierna al frente, con los brazos estirados hacia delante para mantener el equilibrio.",
    "Lleva las caderas hacia atrás y flexiona la rodilla de la pierna de apoyo, bajando con control hacia la caja.",
    "Siéntate suavemente sobre la caja sin dejarte caer sobre ella, manteniendo el pecho elevado y la pierna libre sin tocar el suelo.",
    "Empuja con todo el pie de apoyo y estira esa pierna para ponerte de pie de nuevo.",
    "Completa el número de repeticiones previsto y repite con la otra pierna."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Choose a higher box to start; lower it as your strength and control improve.",
    "Keep the knee of the standing leg tracking over your toes and your heel on the floor.",
    "Touch the box with your hips rather than relaxing onto it, and use the arms as a counterweight."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Beginne mit einer höheren Box und senke sie ab, wenn Kraft und Kontrolle besser werden.",
    "Halte das Knie des Standbeins über den Zehen und die Ferse am Boden.",
    "Berühre die Box mit der Hüfte, statt dich darauf zu entspannen, und nutze die Arme als Gegengewicht."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Empieza con una caja más alta y bájala a medida que mejoren tu fuerza y tu control.",
    "Mantén la rodilla de la pierna de apoyo alineada con las puntas de los pies y el talón en el suelo.",
    "Toca la caja con las caderas en lugar de relajarte sobre ella, y usa los brazos como contrapeso."
  ],
  "met": 6.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/single-leg-box-squat-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/single-leg-box-squat-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "single-leg-box-squat");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.