This exercise setup allows you to hit your quads hard with a full range of motion without putting stress on your knees.
To do this one, you'll need an adjustable incline bench and a solid bar to grab onto (e.g. a bar set in the power rack, braced against the uprights, or a Smith machine bar).
When you start this one, use just your bodyweight.
You can add resistance via a dumbbell in one hand (link to that below) OR you can add bands, like I'm going to show you how to do here.
The bands I'm using are fabric bands from Vector Athletics. Use coupon code FITPOWER20 to get 20% off.
These things are great for putting directly onto your body because the elastic is underneath fabric. It makes them very comfortable to "wear."
So overall, the movement pattern is almost EXACTLY like what you see in a pendulum squat machine.
Set the bench to about 45 degrees on the incline and set the bench under the bar, set at about chest height.
I have a bumper plate set on the floor to brace the bench against the frame of the rack to insure it won't slide (this is important).
This might take a bit of practice with setup for your height, etc.
Loop one end of your band (or bands...I'm actually using 4 bands of varying thickness here to maximize overload at the top) around the back of the bench. They won't slide up because of how you're applying force to them (directly away).
Put the other end of the bands around the back of your neck.
Grab the bar then set your foot on the bottom of the inclined part of the bench and squat down.
Come down as far as you can. This can be partway or can be maximum range, like I demonstrate here. This is similar to a pistol squat in terms of depth.
Now come up.
As you come about halfway, the bands will start to stretch. As you come to the very top, the bands will stretch a lot. This is known as accommodating resistance in how the resistance accommodates to the strength curve of the exercise (harder leverage at the bottom and better at the top).
The grip on the bar is the pivot while the incline face of the bench mimics the position of the pendulum squat, taking almost all the torque off the knee joint. You can see even at the very bottom, my lower leg is still vertical.
Do all your reps on one leg, the switch to the other. Since the non-working leg is not involved at all, there won't be much in the way of local fatigue that will affect your reps on the second leg.
You can do this one in just about any rep range you like (even very low reps with heavier weight).
You won't be able to go heavy as you would with a pendulum squat machine that works both legs at the same time, but you'll get similar benefits and you'll get the benefits of single leg work.
You can also add resistance by wearing ankle weights. I've got a pair of 20 lb ankle weights on here.
I find this works better than holding a dumbbell because it allows you to keep both hands on the bar for balance and support.
To add even more weight, you could wear both ankle weights on one leg, then switch.
I also tested Monkey Feet (the equipment that allows you to attach a dumbbell to your foot) but found that the dumbbell kept hitting the bench, making it a bit awkward. It was doable but you had to be constantly adjusting your foot to keep it far enough from the bench to not hit it.
Another way to add resistance is by holding a dumbbell in one hand.
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