More Precise Progression for Speed Skater Squats?

Just wondering if anyone has a good progression for the speed skater squat?

I've been using my non working leg to help me down and up, and then over time attempting to use that leg less and less. This seems a bit imprecise to me though, in terms of gauging how much I'm helping myself with the non working leg.

Does anyone have a more precise way to progress towards mastery with this one?

Thanks!

Cam

To be absolutely certain that the other leg isn't helping, I did this with a folded towel under my back knee to raise it off the ground slightly. I found this to be the best way to be sure I wasn't pushing with the back foot.

Perfect - I'll try that.

Thanks!

Cam

Thank you Zach... I was actually looking for a progression that leads to what you're talking about, as I'm not there yet.

 

I was going to use thecolin's suggestion of putting something under my non-working knee... maybe starting with something relatively high and then slowly bringing it lower and lower until I can do reps with good form with knee touching floor.

 

Is this a good way to progress with this exercise?

 

If I keep my back foot totally off the ground, I can't even do a single rep at present.

 

I've been working on this one for a while, trying to have my back leg offer less and less help over time, but I feel like it's too easy to cheat this way.

Cameron, that sounds like a reasonable progression to me.  It is not dissimilar from HeS Pushup progression.  You can easily measure progress, and if you just put your books/mats or whatever you are using under your knee, it helps to eliminate the urge to press with the foot.

Thanks Nick

Lol! Ahh a good pun always brings me to my knee .... Ay oh!

Thank you Zach... Duly noted

Cam

That's how I've worked them in the past, a slight increase in lean as opposed to raising the back knee. The towel idea is just to be certain that your foot isn't touching the floor, not to significantly reduce the distance to the ground.

 

From there you can work on decreasing the lean and/or actively pulling your foot to your butt. And finally, full shrimp squats.

Makes sense.... I'll give it a go when I'm closer to mastery.

At the moment, I still need help up, in one form or another

Cam