<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context":"http://schema.org",
"@type":"BlogPosting",
"author": {
"@type": "Person",
"name": "KC Clements, MS"
},
"publisher": {
"@type": "Organization",
"name": "Warrior Made",
"logo": {
"@type": "ImageObject",
"url": "https://www.warriormade.com",
"image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2019/11/Advanced_ALTERNATING_ONE_LEG_SIT_TO_STAND.jpg"
}
},
"headline":"How To Do An Alternating One Leg Sit To Stand With Perfect Form",
"datePublished":"2018-01-12",
"dateModified": "2019-11-11",
"description":"Learn How To Do An Alternating One Leg Sit To Stand With Perfect Form.",
"image": "https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/media/public/2019/11/Advanced_ALTERNATING_ONE_LEG_SIT_TO_STAND.jpg"
}
</script>
<article>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="#section1">Instructions</a></li>
<li><a href="#section2">Things to Keep in Mind</a></li>
<li><a href="#section3">Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<section>
<p>Sitting down and standing up are two things we do so frequently throughout the day that it’s hard to consider them an exercise. But each of these movements works different muscles, and when done in a repetitive fashion, they can have some incredible benefits for your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and more. Here we’re going to teach you an advanced exercise that builds on the same sitting down and standing up we do every day: the alternating one leg sit to stand.</p>
<p>To perform the alternating one leg sit to stand, stand in front of a couch or chair with your hands on your hips. Lift your right leg off the floor then straighten and extend it slightly in front of you. Hinge at the hips to lower yourself down to the chair, then press through your left leg to come back up to standing. Not only is this exercise great for working your quads and glutes, but it’s also useful for improving your balance, stability, and muscle symmetry between your right and left sides.</p>
<p>If this move is a little too challenging, try a modified version: alternating one down two up squats. Do everything exactly the same as you did for the one leg sit to stand. But once you reach the chair, place both feet on the ground and stand up normally. Alternate between your right and left legs until you’ve completed a set. One down two up squats are a perfect precursor to the one leg sit to stand as they’ll help you to build up solid lower body strength.</p>
<p>Beginners should start with feet together squats. Stand up tall with your feet together. Hinge at the hips and bend the knees to drop into a squat. You can extend your arms out in front of you as you squat to help keep yourself stable or place your hands on your knees if you need a little more support. Go as far down as you can comfortably then press through the heels to return to standing. Because your feet stay together during this squat variation, you’ll build up ankle mobility and hamstring flexibility which are both beneficial for many other exercises.</p>
<p>Let’s learn how to do the alternating one leg sit to stand with perfect form.</p>
</section>
<hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto">
<section>
<section id="section1">
<h2>Instructions</h2>
<ol>
<li>Stand in front of a chair with your hands on your hips and your feet together.</li>
<picture class="lazy-load">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-1.webp" type="image/webp">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-1.jp2" type="image/jpf">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-1.jpg">
<img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-LR-1.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="one-leg-sit-to-stand-1">
</picture>
<li>Lift your right leg off the floor and extend it out in front of you.</li>
<li>Balanced on your left leg, hinge at the hips to lower yourself down to the chair.</li>
<picture class="lazy-load">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-2.webp" type="image/webp">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-2.jp2" type="image/jpf">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-2.jpg">
<img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-LR-2.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="one-leg-sit-to-stand-2">
</picture>
<li>Pause briefly then press through your left heel to stand back up.</li>
<picture class="lazy-load">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-3.webp" type="image/webp">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-3.jp2" type="image/jpf">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-3.jpg">
<img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-LR-3.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="one-leg-sit-to-stand-3">
</picture>
<li>Switch to perform the move with the left leg extended. Continue alternating until you’ve completed a set.</li>
</ol>
</section>
<hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto">
<section>
<section id="section2">
<h2>Things to keep in mind</h2>
<ul>
<li>Press the ball of your foot and your heel into the ground and grip the floor with your toes. You should have about 70% of your weight on your heels and around 30% on the balls of your feet to maintain balance.</li>
<li>Set your hips straight and keep them there during the move. You don’t want one of your hips to drop below the other as this can bring your knee out of alignment and put you at risk for injury.</li>
<picture class="lazy-load">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-4.webp" type="image/webp">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-4.jp2" type="image/jpf">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-4.jpg">
<img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-LR-4.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="one-leg-sit-to-stand-4">
</picture>
<li>Make sure that the knee of your balancing leg doesn’t wobble in or out as this can also cause knee pain. When you look down, you should see your femur—the thigh bone—pointing in the same direction as your toes.</li>
<li>As you lower yourself down, don’t reach your arms too far forward as this can cause you to round your back and fall out of alignment. Keep your chest open and your spine nice and straight.</li>
<picture class="lazy-load">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-5.webp" type="image/webp">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-5.jp2" type="image/jpf">
<source data-srcset="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-5.jpg">
<img src="https://d1ghrtdbdq2gkr.cloudfront.net/blog-content/instructionals-content/one-leg-sit-to-stand-LR-5.jpg" class="img-fluid" alt="one-leg-sit-to-stand-5">
</picture>
</ul>
</section>
<hr class="divider-50 divider-medium mx-auto">
<section>
<section id="section3">
<h2>Conclusion:</h2>
<p>The alternating one leg sit to stand is an awesome lower body move that’s definitely worth working up to. When you’re first getting started with this exercise, it’s fine to rock yourself when you’re seated and use that momentum to propel yourself up. Over time, try to get to where you are simply standing up and sitting down without needing any extra momentum.</p>
<p>If that’s still too difficult, try the alternating one down two up squat first. This move will help you to build up that lower body strength you’ll need to take on the advanced variation. For beginners, feet together squats are a great place to get started. Just be sure to focus on your form, take your time, and work your way up at the pace that feels best for you.</p>
<p>One of the best features of all these exercises is that you can do them from the comfort of your own home or anywhere you’ve got a chair and a few minutes to get your sweat on. Try adding a set to your next workout or do a few repetitions during your lunch break at work.</p>
<p>If this exercise is too difficult, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/perfect-form-alternating-one-down-two-up-squats/">Alternating One Down Two Up Squats</a>.</p>
</section>
</article>
