I believe squats are the best overall leg strength building exercise for the legs. There are many types of squats, but today I briefly discuss balance squats and deep squats. Reap the rewards from squatting and one can get strength gains that correlate to better running, bicycling, and even stand up paddle boarding.
On March 29, 2012, I set the world record (for the 3rd time) for Most Deep Squats in 3 Minutes when I did 167 deep squats in three minutes. The magic “three minutes” I do because that isn’t too long and not too short to hold at a very high aerobic threshold and still test my endurance (It’s like the 800m run, which is in between a sprint and middle distance event). Deep squat training is responsible for increasing my power on my bike and it gave me the edge to be only triathlete that kept increasing speed over duration of challenging bike leg in my 2008 ITU Sprint U-30 National Championship Triathlon. Deep squats also help my endurance to compete in mountain running championships.
Just minutes after re-setting the deep squat world record on March 29, 2012, I then set the world record for the Most Swiss Ball Squats in One Minute, which are very difficult as they test balance. These are a relatively new exercise for me as I did my 1st try at swiss ball squats on Jan 15, 2011, and I was certainly NOT doing them in my usual strict form as you will see HERE. However, through perserverance I mastered the swiss ball! Swiss Ball Squatting has helped me become better at Stand Up Paddle Boarding where balance is key.
* Both of these are Official World Records published and verified by RecordSetter, click links above to go to records or watch video below for record video.
Watch Alicia Set the Swiss Ball Squat and Deep Squat World Records!