any people train with resistance bands when traveling, training at home, or don’t have access to dumbbells or weight training equipment.
However, some exercises with elastic have unique advantages that make them very interesting, even if you also have freeloaded. The “split squat” or RFE with elastic is one of these exercises, which it is worth including in your leg training program, in addition to the “split squats” with bar or dumbbells.
The split squat with elastic has the unique advantage of overloading the upper part of the movement. When you perform the split squat with free loads, it is the lower part of the movement that is more difficult and the upper part of the movement that is easier. In fact, if you lock your knee in the high position, you lose most of the muscle tension.
Since most people are not used to feeling a greater resistance force towards the top of a split squat, this exercise can be particularly difficult and you will have to make great efforts to successfully reach the upper part of the movement during your last repetitions.
The split squat works the main muscles of the lower body. It is probably at the level of the quadriceps that you will have the most sensations, but the glutes also play an important role and the hamstrings are also involved.
Illustration © credit Aliaksandr Makatserchyk
How to do the split squat with elastic?
- Holding the ends of an elastic band in each hand, place the elastic on the floor in front of you and walk on it, with the center of your foot firmly holding the elastic.
- Descend into a lunge position with the tip of your back leg’s foot in contact with the ground, with both knees forming a 90-degree angle.
- Adjust the strength of the elastic according to your abilities by making turns at the level of the hands until the elastic is stretched / slightly stretched (grab the elastic lower to increase tension).
- Keeping your chest high,your backstraight, and a posture straight (shouldersaligned with your hips), stand up to get into an upright position, keeping your front leg straight, but not locked.
- Descend back into the low position, focusing on lowering your back knee to the floor, while focusing on contracting the quadriceps of your front thigh.
- Repeat this movement up and down until you have reached the desired number of repetitions, then change legs.
Training tips
- You need to do the movement with some tension from the start in the low position. If this is not possible, the strength of your elastic is too important.
- When you do leg squats with your elastic, make sure it is well held under your foot. A gang that unravels could jump up and hurt you.
- All exercises with an elastic band can be intensified using a stronger elastic.