ExRx.net

So today was my 2nd day doing Bulgarians, and I finally figured out why my left foot would cramp horribly but my right foot would not. Apparently I am massively cheating when exercising the right leg, pushing very hard against the bench with the left foot to assist. (FWIW, when exercising my left leg I can keep a feather touch on the bench with the back foot)

I tried to force myself not to do this by sheer will power and seemed unable to rewire the pathways. Even at body weight it is as if my right leg is refusing to do its share.

This afternoon I had read this article (http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... g_training) and noticed the video on skater squats. Managed 5 very ugly reps on the right leg (ignored the left for today).

Any suggestions for this? Seems I cannot prevent the cheating on Bulgarians, and would likely face the same issue on Lunges or Step-ups. I'm thinking to switch to these skater squats as a remedial thing. Any other suggestions or ideas?

pistols?

that happened to me when I first started doing DBSS regularly. It just kinda goes away after a while, so persevere. It can help to rest a minute between legs

Oscar: I had thought skates would be an easier first try, but actually pistols allow you to use a box to learn the motion in parts, so pistols it is.

Robert: that is encouraging. I intend to keep plugging anyway, and also perhaps counter the cheat tendency by actively lifting my back leg to a bare touch on the bench.

you can try, but it won't work. There's no way you'll be able to lift the supporting leg

Bummer.

This article seems to be a great primer on pistols

http://www.powerathletesmag.com/pages/pistols.htm

I have trouble with bulgiarian squats too, reason why I don't do them. I feel it more in the knees then I do in the quads..I dont know why.

Yeah, they've given me a certain snap-crackle-pop feeling in my knees, which seems to go away after a couple of days.

However, I think they made a huge difference in my squat numbers.