There aren’t many actions that showcase a mix of power, stability, coordination, and talent fairly just like the pistol squat.
As a efficiency aim, the pistol squat presents you with an incredible alternative to problem your self and see what you’re able to with onerous work and constant apply — all whereas constructing some critical decrease physique power and stability alongside the way in which.
Mastering the pistol squat is a very talked-about aim, however getting began and determining how one can progress can really feel overwhelming. Whether or not you wish to obtain your very first pistol squat or enhance the variety of reps you are able to do, on this article, I’ll offer you step-by-step steering to get there.
You’ll study:
Plus, I’ve added a enjoyable bonus problem you may sort out while you’re prepared!
What Is a Pistol Squat?
A pistol squat is a complicated, unilateral, lower-body train during which you carry out a single-leg squat, descending till your glute virtually touches your heel (i.e., a “rock-bottom” place) whereas holding the alternative leg out in entrance of you. It requires power in your quads, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, and core, and your toes and ankles do a number of stabilizing work.
Primarily, the pistol squat is a power talent — an train requiring each power and talent — that may be developed via constant apply. However there’s a twist. In contrast to different power expertise, the pistol squat additionally requires stability (a complete lot of it) and mobility. This mix makes it a very difficult train!
What to Know Earlier than You Pistol Squat
Two questions come up regularly relating to pistol squats, so let’s deal with these first.
Query #1. Do Pistol Squats Harm Your Knee?
The commonest query concerning the pistol squat is, “However gained’t that harm the knee?”
It is a legitimate concern contemplating many individuals have been taught — usually, adamantly so — that the knees ought to by no means journey previous the toes when squatting. Nonetheless, expertise has proven that for people who don’t have knee points, deep squats can completely be secure.
That mentioned, sure workouts could by no means be applicable for each distinctive physique.
Pistol squats is probably not best for you when you at the moment have (or have a historical past of) ache and discomfort in your:
- Knees
- Hips
- Decrease again
- Ankles
- Ft
Query #2. What’s the Acceptable Footwear?
Many individuals marvel if they need to put on footwear or go barefoot when doing pistol squats.
Pistol squats are greatest carried out along with your foot (together with ball and heel) rooted firmly into the ground, with all toes urgent down. Due to this, a shoe with a thick, squishy sole will make it considerably tougher to stability throughout a pistol squat. Most people are likely to have higher stability barefoot or whereas sporting footwear with a really skinny and versatile sole.
Whenever you’re beginning out, you would possibly discover that sporting a sturdy shoe with a barely elevated heel (for instance, a Nike Metcon or an Olympic-lifting shoe) provides you with a slight benefit and may compensate for a scarcity of mobility. That mentioned, we encourage you to work in your mobility so that you’re not counting on a particular shoe with a view to carry out a pistol squat.
Desirous about working one-on-one with me, Head Coach Jen Comas, to perform your well being and health objectives? Be taught extra about our GGS Teaching program.
7 Progressions to Assist You Grasp the Pistol Squat
Earlier than we dive into how one can do a full pistol squat, let’s begin with the progressions you need to use to ensure you’re advancing safely, quite than tackling the pistol squat earlier than you’re prepared. The next workouts will make it easier to develop the power and stability needed for secure pistols.
All through this text, you’ll discover I encourage you to create stress in your arms and squeeze your fists. Sustaining stress in your arms and fists will make it easier to stability. To raised perceive this concept, take into consideration somebody strolling a tightrope — their arms are by no means gentle and free at their sides; as a substitute, their arms are prolonged with loads of stress all through.
1. Slim-Stance Squat with Counterweight
Earlier than you will get to a rock-bottom squat with one leg, you have got to have the ability to do it with two! That’s why I like to recommend beginning with a narrow-stance squat utilizing a counterweight.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Stand along with your toes collectively.
- Maintain a light-weight plate or dumbbell (10 kilos or lighter) out in entrance of you to make use of as a counterweight, which can assist with stability.
- Descend right into a rock-bottom place whereas protecting your toes firmly planted on the ground. Keep away from lifting your toes, rocking round in your toes, or elevating your heels.
- Arise in a clean and managed method. Resist the temptation to “bounce” out of the underside place.
Goal for five–8 reps, protecting the reps clean and managed. When you are able to do that, put aside the counterweight and check out it with simply your body weight.
As soon as you may carry out the narrow-stance squat (both with or with out a counterweight) for five–8 reps, you’re prepared to maneuver on to the following development.
Be aware: The narrow-stance squat, with or with out a counterweight, will all the time be a unbelievable warm-up motion. I encourage you to incorporate 5–8 reps of it earlier than doing any extra pistol squat work.
2. Sluggish Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift to Single-Leg Steadiness
Glorious stability is non-negotiable for the pistol squat. Like so many different expertise, stability is one thing you may enhance considerably with constant coaching. One drill I really like for creating stability is the sluggish single-leg Romanian deadlift to single-leg stability.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Stand along with your toes about hip-width aside.
- Firmly plant your proper foot into the ground.
- Lengthen your proper arm out to your facet and create stress all through your arm, squeezing your hand right into a fist.
- Preserve your head and backbone in a impartial place and lock your gaze onto one thing that isn’t shifting, ideally one thing on the ground a number of toes in entrance of you.
- Preserve your hips and shoulders sq., hinge at your hips, and raise your left foot off the ground, elevating it behind you as your higher physique tilts ahead.
- Cease as soon as you may’t push your hips again any additional or when your higher physique is parallel with the ground.
- Reverse the motion to face up straight.
- As you stand, increase your left knee till your thigh is parallel with the ground and stability for 3–5 seconds in your proper foot.
Goal for five–8 reps per facet, protecting the reps clean and managed.
If the complete drill is just too difficult proper now, remove the single-leg Romanian deadlift portion and simply work on the single-leg stability a part of the drill for five–8 reps per leg, holding every rep 5–10 seconds. You are able to do this all through the day whereas finishing different duties, corresponding to brushing your enamel or ready in your espresso to brew.
As soon as you may carry out each the narrow-stance squat for five–8 reps and the sluggish single-leg Romanian deadlift to single-leg stability for five–8 reps per facet, you’re prepared to maneuver on to the third development.
Be aware: Very like the narrow-stance squat, this stability train will all the time be a unbelievable warm-up motion or an train to revisit periodically to proceed working in your stability.
3. Alternating Single-Leg Steadiness with Counterweight
The alternating single-leg stability drill will make it easier to develop power and stability within the backside place of the pistol squat. It’s additionally wonderful for creating the hip flexor power needed to carry the alternative leg out in entrance of you.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Stand along with your toes collectively.
- With a agency grip, maintain a light-weight weight out in entrance of you as a counterweight and create stress via your arms.
- Slowly descend right into a rock-bottom place whereas protecting your toes firmly planted on the ground.
- When you’re within the rock-bottom place, slowly prolong one leg out in entrance of you for just a few seconds.
- Work to carry regular and remove any wiggling.
- Convey your leg again to the rock-bottom squat place and prolong your reverse leg.
Alternate legs, holding every rep for two–5 seconds for a complete of three–6 reps on both sides. When you may carry out this drill, put aside the counterweight and check out it with simply your body weight.
As soon as you may carry out the alternating single-leg stability (both with or with out a counterweight) for 3–6 reps per facet, you’re prepared to maneuver on to the following development.
4. Field-Assisted Pistol Squat
You’ve made it this far, and also you’re effectively in your technique to reaching a pistol squat! It’s time to begin tying all the pieces along with box-assisted pistol squats.
In a box-assisted pistol squat, you carry out a single-leg squat all the way down to a field (or chair), you then stand again up.
Begin with a field peak that means that you can squat till your thighs are parallel with the ground. As you progress, slowly decrease the peak of the field to make it tougher.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Place the field behind you.
- Stand near the field along with your toes collectively.
- Firmly press your proper foot into the ground. Think about you’re rooted to the bottom via your toes, the ball of your foot, and your heel.
- Balancing in your proper leg, raise your left leg and prolong it out in entrance of you, flexing your left foot.
- Lengthen your arms out in entrance of you and squeeze your palms into fists, creating stress via your arms.
- Descend right into a single-leg squat till you sit down on the field behind you.
- When you’re seated, squeeze your fists somewhat tighter, interact via your core, and use the power and stability of your proper leg to face again up.
Goal for five–8 reps per facet.
As soon as you may carry out this drill with a field peak that has you squatting under parallel, you’re prepared to maneuver on to the following development.
5. Pistol Squat to a Field
The pistol squat to a field is totally different from a box-assisted pistol squat. On this drill, you gained’t sit down on the field — you’ll simply evenly faucet it along with your glutes earlier than standing again up. That is the following step in constructing power and stability, taking you one step nearer to your pistol squat.
For this drill, you’ll want a field peak that means that you can squat till your thighs are parallel (or simply under parallel) with the ground.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Place the field behind you.
- Stand near the field along with your toes collectively.
- Firmly press your proper foot into the ground. Think about you’re rooted to the bottom via your toes, the ball of your foot, and your heel.
- Balancing in your proper leg, raise your left leg and prolong it, flexing your foot.
- Lengthen your arms out in entrance of you and squeeze your palms into fists, creating stress via your arms.
- Descend right into a single-leg squat till you may evenly faucet the field along with your glutes. (Keep in mind, you’re not sitting all the way in which down!)
- As quickly as your glutes make contact with the field, squeeze your fists somewhat tighter, interact via your core, and use the power and stability of your proper leg to face again up.
Goal for 3–5 reps per facet.
As soon as you may carry out this drill with a field peak that has you squatting under parallel, you’re prepared to maneuver on to the following development.
6. Assisted Pistol Squat
You’ve been working so onerous to get right here. It’s time to place all that apply to the take a look at with the assisted pistol squat.
The assisted pistol squat is an superior technique to prepare the motion sample and get you training full pistol squats with just a bit little bit of assist as you proceed to fine-tune the power and talent required.
You’ve just a few choices for help: one thing sturdy, just like the facet of a squat rack (as proven within the demo video under); a suspension coach, corresponding to a TRX system; and even your exercise companion’s hand.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Stand along with your toes collectively.
- Firmly press your proper foot into the ground. Think about you’re rooted to the bottom via your toes, the ball of your foot, and your heel.
- Seize the facet of the squat rack (or your chosen help choice) along with your proper hand.
- Lengthen your left arm out in entrance of you and squeeze your left hand right into a fist, creating stress via your arm.
- Balancing in your proper leg, raise your left leg and prolong it, flexing your foot.
- Descend right into a single-leg squat.
- When you attain the rock-bottom place, squeeze your left fist somewhat tighter, interact via your core, and use the power and stability of your proper leg to face again up. On the similar time, use your proper hand on the squat rack to get as a lot help as you should pull your self again up.
Goal for 3–5 reps per facet. Most people discover it’s greatest to alternate legs every rep to offer their working leg somewhat break.
As soon as you are feeling comfy with this drill, it’s time to strive full pistol squats!
7. Pistol Squat With Counterweight
You made it! Are you prepared? In fact, you’re!
When making an attempt your first pistol squat, a counterweight might be extremely useful for locating and protecting your stability. Seize a dumbbell, a kettlebell, a weight plate, or the rest that’s straightforward to carry. We advocate a light-weight counterweight. For most folk, 5–10 kilos is ideal for beginning out.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Holding your counterweight, stand along with your toes collectively.
- Firmly press your proper foot into the ground. Think about you’re rooted to the bottom via your toes, the ball of your foot, and your heel.
- Get a agency grip in your counterweight and prolong your arms out in entrance of you, creating stress via your arms.
- Balancing in your proper leg, raise your left leg and prolong it, flexing your foot.
- Descend into your pistol squat.
- When you get to the rock-bottom place, squeeze your counterweight somewhat tighter, interact via your core, and use the power and stability of your proper leg to face again up.
Now, strive the identical factor on the opposite facet!
Don’t be stunned in case your pistol squat feels rather a lot stronger on one facet — being stronger or having higher stability and coordination on one facet is frequent and to be anticipated. Proceed coaching each side.
When you’re able to ditch your counterweight, it’s time to strive a pistol squat with simply your body weight.
The right way to Do a Correct Pistol Squat
Now comes the actually enjoyable half — the complete pistol squat! In the event you’ve labored via the progressions, a number of it will really feel acquainted to your physique by now.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Stand along with your toes collectively.
- Firmly press your proper foot into the ground. Think about you’re rooted to the bottom via your toes, the ball of your foot, and your heel.
- Balancing in your proper leg, raise your left leg and prolong it out in entrance of you, flexing your foot.
- Lengthen your arms and squeeze your palms into fists, creating stress out of your shoulders to your palms.
- Descend into your pistol squat.
- When you attain the rock-bottom place (or as little as your physique safely means that you can go), squeeze your fists somewhat tighter, interact via your core, and use the power and stability of your proper leg to face again up.
- Repeat for reps, or change sides.
You probably did it! Congratulations!
Now that you simply’re acquainted with pistol squat progressions and the pistol squat, let’s go over some frequent errors and roadblocks to refine your approach and assist hold you robust and secure.
3 Frequent Pistol Squat Errors to Keep away from
There’s no denying it: The pistol squat is a tough train, and approach errors can simply slip into your coaching. Let’s go over three frequent errors and how one can keep away from them.
Mistake #1: Bouncing Out of the Backside Place
The primary frequent mistake is bouncing out of the underside place, or in different phrases, descending in a short time into the rock-bottom place and making an attempt to make use of the physique’s momentum (as a substitute of power) to face again up.
This method is kind of dangerous and may make your joints very sad. As a substitute of utilizing momentum, decelerate. Attempt to enhance your power and management your tempo so you may carry out your pistol squats safely.
Mistake #2: Transferring Round on the Stabilizing Foot
The second frequent mistake is rocking and rolling round or lifting the toes on the stabilizing foot. That is sometimes a type of compensation for a scarcity of stability — besides it does the alternative.
The much less floor space your foot has in touch with the ground, the tougher will probably be to stability. Deal with bettering your stability with the drills outlined above so that you’ll really feel robust and steady when standing on one foot.
Mistake #3: Making an attempt Pistol Squats With out Enough Mobility
Lastly, I usually see of us try pistol squats with out having the required mobility to carry out them accurately.
Offering an answer for each mobility problem standing between you and a pistol squat is past the scope of this text. Nonetheless, I’ve included some warm-up workouts (together with video demos) under that you could be discover useful for bettering your mobility. In the event you’re experiencing mobility limitations, we advocate working with a coach or a physiotherapist that will help you deal with your particular wants.
Heat-up
- Body weight squat x 10
- Deep squat with rotation x 10 per facet
- Ankle rock x 10 per facet
- Squat to ahead fold x 10
- Downward canine with heel drop x 10 per facet
Are you a well being and health skilled? Be sure to keep away from these 5 teaching errors while you work with feminine purchasers.
Troubleshooting Roadblocks
Even with step-by-step steering, you would possibly run into two frequent roadblocks. Let’s troubleshoot!
Roadblock #1: Issue Holding the Reverse Leg Up
Some of us get all the way in which to a pistol squat, solely to comprehend it’s not the squatting that’s giving them bother. As a substitute, they’re struggling to carry the alternative leg in place.
If that’s the case for you, strive training pistol squats off a field.
Answer: Pistol Squats Off a Field
Pistol squats off a field permit you to hold training and constructing power with the motion and supply somewhat wiggle room so that you don’t have to carry your reverse leg up fairly as excessive.
As you proceed training your pistol squats, you’ll develop hip flexor power, which can make it easier to hold your leg prolonged.
For this drill, you’ll want a field that’s about 12 inches tall — simply sufficient to offer your leg somewhat room if it must drop down.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Holding your counterweight, step onto the field and stand along with your toes collectively.
- Firmly press your proper foot into the field. Think about you’re rooted to the bottom via your toes, the ball of your foot, and your heel.
- Grip your counterweight firmly and prolong your arms, creating stress out of your shoulders to your palms.
- Balancing in your proper leg, raise your left leg and prolong it out in entrance of you, flexing your foot.
- Descend into your pistol squat.
- When you get to the rock-bottom place, squeeze your counterweight somewhat tighter, interact via your core, and use the power and stability of your proper leg to face again up.
Goal for 3–5 reps per facet, alternating sides between reps.
Roadblock #2: Hassle within the Backside Place
Some of us can get down right into a pistol squat however really feel very unstable in that rock-bottom place. They wrestle to return up out of it. If that’s the case for you, we advocate the seated pistol drill.
Answer: The Seated Pistol Drill
The seated pistol drill is a wonderful technique to develop power, stability, and confidence within the rock-bottom place.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Sit on the ground and prolong your left leg out in entrance of you, flexing your foot.
- Bend your proper knee and draw your heel in near your glutes, protecting your proper foot flat on the ground.
- Lengthen your arms out in entrance of you, and squeeze your palms into fists to create stress via your arms.
- Interact via your core, press your proper foot into the ground, and raise your hips and left leg off the ground (get that left foot up too!).
- Maintain for 3–5 seconds, then return to a seated place.
- Swap sides.
Goal for 3–5 reps per facet, alternating legs between reps if you should.
Bonus Problem: Rollback Pistols
In any case this tough work, let’s have somewhat enjoyable with a drill known as the rollback pistol! It is a nice technique to embody some playtime in your coaching. It could even have helpful carryover to your pistol squat apply as a result of it requires a number of consciousness to “stick” the touchdown.
Right here’s the way you do it:
- Stand along with your toes collectively.
- Lengthen your arms out in entrance of you, and squeeze your palms into fists to create stress via your arms.
- Slowly decrease your self down into your narrow-stance squat.
- Gently land your glutes onto the ground behind you.
- Tuck your chin into your chest and let your self roll backward; then, utilizing somewhat momentum, roll ahead.
- As you roll ahead, prolong your left leg and bend your proper knee.
- Root your proper foot firmly into the ground.
- Interact via your core, squeeze your fists, and use your power to raise your left leg off the bottom.
- Maintain for a second or two, after which tuck your chin and roll again once more.
- This time, strive the opposite facet!
In search of your subsequent squat problem? Attempt these 5 superior squat variations.
Whereas pistol squats might be intimidating initially, with constant coaching — and a few endurance — you may completely get there! Hearken to your physique, work via the progressions we lined, and take on a regular basis you should ensure you’ll be robust and secure while you’re able to sort out the complete pistol squat. And bear in mind to have enjoyable — benefit from the course of and benefit from all of the wonderful issues your physique can do!
