Master the move: Pistol squat

The pistol squat is a powerful unilateral (one leg at a time) advanced bodyweight exercise that targets your legs and core stabilisers to help build functional strength and blast calories.

This is a very technical movement that may require some strength and technique development to master beforehand.

Why you should master the pistol squat:

• Builds Unilateral Strength: It forces one leg to lift your entire body weight, which rapidly develops strength in your quads, glutes, and hamstrings on that single side.
• Corrects Imbalances: By working each leg independently, it immediately exposes and helps correct strength differences (asymmetries) between your left and right legs.
• Enhances Total-Body Stability and Control: Successfully performing the pistol squat demands a high degree of balance, core strength, and stability in your foot, ankle, knee, and hip joints—all at once.
• Improves Mobility: It requires and develops excellent flexibility in your ankles and hips, promoting a full and functional range of motion that transfers to other lifts and everyday activities.

How to do it

Stand with your arms extended out in front of you. Balance on one leg with the opposite leg extended straight forward and as high as possible. Stabilise your ankle and keep tension throughout your body.

The movement

Squat down as far as possible while keeping the ‘free’ leg elevated off of the floor. Press back with your hips and squat all the way down so that your glutes reach the Achilles of the bent leg at the bottom of the movement. Drive up by extending the knee and hip of your supporting leg pressing and driving your flat foot into the ground. Return to the upright position and repeat for the required reps before continuing with the opposite leg.

Targeted muscles

The pistol squat is a challenging exercise that targets a wide range of muscles, making it a powerful lower-body and core builder. The primary muscle group it works is the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of your upper thigh), which are responsible for extending your knee as you stand up. However, it’s far from just a quad exercise! A host of secondary muscles, acting as helpers and stabilisers, are also heavily engaged. These include your glutes and hamstrings (the muscles in your butt and back of your thigh), which help you control the lowering phase and drive you back up. You also heavily rely on your core muscles (like your abs and erector spinae in your lower back) to keep your torso upright and stable, preventing you from falling over. Finally, your calves and other smaller hip and thigh muscles like the adductor magnus and iliopsoas all pitch in to ensure you maintain balance and control throughout the movement

Progression

1. Beginner: The free leg can be positioned behind the supporting leg and you can hold the wall or a solid structure to perform an assisted single leg squat. A horizontal bar can also be used as support when executing a proper pistol squat.
2. Intermediate: Perform the pistol squat with your back resting against a medicine ball positioned against the wall for support.
3. Advanced: Add resistance in the form of a kettlebell or dumbbell.

Form tips

• The knee of the supporting leg should point in same direction as the supporting foot.
• Keep your back straight as you descend into the squat.