Why are Split Squats so hard?

[JStrong]

Howdy,

40, 5'11" 212

So I'm currently a mid 200 squatter, high 300 deadlifter after a long injury layoff knocked a few hundred pounds off my lifts.

I've recently added unweighted, and barely weighted split squats to my routine--and they are killing me.

splitsquat-1508247560.jpg

Minus the arm swing, this is the move.

First two times I did two sets of ten holding 20# dumbbells I was sore for several days in my quads, hamstrings, and glutes.

Even unweighted, these are difficult. I've moved up (!) to #25 in each hand and it is all I can do to get through a set of ten. They are getting better but I had to take a break on a set of ten today, which feels funny and ridiculous.

What gives? Feels really odd to have such a huge single leg deficit from my two leg lifts.

Anyone else experience this? Is this normal?

[JStrong]

Here's the link to a gif of the movement.

https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod...1508247560.gif

[Luke S]

I do full range Split Squats (front knee over toe, as Charles Poliquin used to prescribe) as a staple exercise in my routine. I worked up to 90% of my BW for reps (about half of my Squat work weight).
They are absolutely brutal, but after a few weeks it does get better.
The soreness in the glutes is the new stimuli to the gluteus medius and minimus, which work hard to mantain the hip position during the exercise because of the split stance.

[Joe Jaloszynski]

It's quite serious to be a mid-200s squatter and have an injury take a couple hundred lbs off your squat. Why not just do unilateral bodyweight squats?

[JStrong]

[QUOTE=JoeJ;1730680]It's quite serious to be a mid-200s squatter and have an injury take a couple hundred lbs off your squat. Why not just do unilateral bodyweight squats?[/QUOTE


The idea of working up to going "heavy" single leg instead isnt bad, the lighter loading on my back is appealing.

To clarify, went from heavier sets across to less, mostly due to long layoff.

[Joe Jaloszynski]

It's quite serious to be a mid-200s squatter and have an injury take a couple hundred lbs off your squat. Why not just do unilateral bodyweight squats?

The idea of working up to going "heavy" single leg instead isnt bad, the lighter loading on my back is appealing.

To clarify, went from heavier sets across to less, mostly due to long layoff.

That's not the approach I would use. I hope your training goes well.

[JStrong]

Thanks, I'm open if you have suggestions for incorporating unilateral stuff.

[Joe Jaloszynski]

If you're truly that detrained, I wouldn't recommend unilateral movements at all.

[JStrong]

I think maybe you misunderstood. Those are current lifts, I peaked at 350+ sets across for squats and pulled 500 at 200. I'm not squatting the bar.

[JStrong]

I do full range Split Squats (front knee over toe, as Charles Poliquin used to prescribe) as a staple exercise in my routine. I worked up to 90% of my BW for reps (about half of my Squat work weight).
They are absolutely brutal, but after a few weeks it does get better.
The soreness in the glutes is the new stimuli to the gluteus medius and minimus, which work hard to mantain the hip position during the exercise because of the split stance.

Thanks Luke, it feels like a good accessory, I really noticed the knee stability was tested as well.