Pistol Squat Progression: How to Work Up to a Single-Leg Squat

“It is a show of energy and mobility,” says Lauren Pak, CPT, who runs a fitness training business along with her husband, Jason. “It’s one thing that is achievable, but in addition actually difficult.”

To finish a pistol squat development efficiently, you want critical strength in your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, plus a great deal of ankle and hip mobility. However so long as you don’t have points with knee flexion or discover the motion painful, Pak says pistol squats must be in attain for most individuals.

Even when the bottom appears impossibly far-off otherwise you at the moment fall again in your butt with each try, build up the mandatory expertise simply takes the proper preparation. Pak broke down the pistol squat development for us, together with precisely the place to start, plus the drills and kind cues that may enable you pull off a pistol squat like a professional.

3-part pistol squat development plan

1. Begin with single-leg step downs

The primary order of enterprise is build up the energy of the standing leg, which might be doing the vast majority of the work. Pak says single-leg step downs are an effective way to do that whereas mimicking the precise motion of a pistol squat.

1. Stand on the sting of a few weight plates or a small field together with your proper foot, whereas your left foot hangs off the aspect.
2. Squat together with your proper leg deep sufficient in order that your left heel can evenly faucet the bottom beneath.
3. Stand again up utilizing simply the energy of your proper leg.

Variation: In the event you’re struggling together with your stability, Pak recommends holding on to one thing like TRX straps for somewhat additional stability. Over time, attempt to use the straps much less and fewer till you’re balancing by yourself.

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Development: As soon as you are feeling comfy doing these step downs a couple of occasions in a row (on each legs), begin to enhance the peak of the platform you’re on in order that it’s important to transfer by means of an even bigger vary of movement to get that heel all the best way to the bottom beneath.

2. Transfer into step downs with a ahead leg swing

When you’ve constructed up the energy to go deeper and deeper into that squat, it’s time to extend the mobility challenge and the strength of the hip flexors by swinging the alternative leg ahead when you squat.

“That creates somewhat bit extra of what the pistol squat requires, which is that it’s important to preserve that different leg straight and up off the bottom,” says Pak. The added elevation provides you extra room for that leg to swing ahead with out hitting the bottom.

1. Stand on the sting of an elevated platform, like a field or stacked weight plates, together with your proper foot. Let your left foot grasp off the aspect.
2. Squat down together with your proper leg, however this time, as a substitute of reaching your left heel towards the bottom, swing it ahead such as you would in a pistol squat.
3. Stand again up and produce your left leg again beneath you.

Variation: To assist counterbalance your weight to be able to go deeper into the squat extra simply, maintain a weight like a heavy dumbbell or weight plate out in entrance of your chest.

Development: When you’re in a position to make all of it the best way right down to the underside of the squat on every leg, begin to decrease the elevation (by way of fewer weight plates or a shorter field) to incrementally enhance the problem. Finally, you’ll get to a spot the place you don’t want any additional elevation, and also you’ll formally be doing full pistol squats.

3. Mobility drills can assist your pistol squat

In the event you’ve accomplished the pistol squat development and constructed the energy to do deep single-leg squats, however discover you don’t fairly have the vary of movement to get as little as you want for a pistol squat, Pak has a few solutions.

For ankle mobility: Kneeling ankle glide

“If you see anyone do a pistol squat efficiently, their knee has to go fairly far ahead so as to have the ability to get all the best way down,” Pak says. In any other case, your torso will fall backward. A kneeling ankle glide can construct the mobility to assist your physique get into the correct place.

1. Kneel on the ground together with your left foot ahead.
2. Lean ahead and push your left knee over the left toes so far as you possibly can whereas preserving your left heel on the bottom.
3. Return to the beginning.
4. Repeat a number of occasions, attempting to go additional every time, then swap sides.

Variation: Pak says you possibly can add a weight plate on prime of the knee to eke out somewhat additional vary of movement.

For hip mobility: Prying squats

In case your hips are too tight to achieve your butt all the best way right down to your heel, Pak suggests this drill:

1. Standing upright on each ft, maintain onto one thing like a squat rack or pole.
2. Decrease down into the underside of a squat position.
3. Push your knees out to the edges to pry your hips open and wiggle your hips decrease. “You’re simply attempting to get your self down as little as you possibly can whereas attempting to maintain your chest open [with a] good lengthy backbone. And that is actually going to begin to open the hips up somewhat,” Pak says.

4 kind cues to efficiently pull off a pistol squat

Pak says she sees a couple of widespread errors that preserve individuals from finishing a pistol squat. Maintain these method ideas in thoughts so that you just’re not unintentionally making issues tougher for your self.

1. Maintain your weight balanced over the center of your working foot

When individuals attempt to rapidly get down right into a pistol squat and again up once more, Pak says it’s widespread to let the ahead leg veer out to the aspect whereas leaning the higher physique in the other way. However this received’t construct the total energy to do a sluggish, managed pistol squat.

“Attempt to be sure that leg is staying in shut and straight out in entrance of you,” she says.

2. Let your decrease again spherical

More often than not once we’re understanding, we’re informed to maintain a neutral spine. However in a pistol squat, you truly need that decrease again to tuck beneath a bit. “If individuals attempt to keep too straight, it prevents them from with the ability to do the pistol squat,” Pak explains.

3. Lead with the knee

You might need been warned by a coach in some unspecified time in the future that it’s harmful to let your knee go previous your toes. Bodily therapists now say that’s a myth, and that is one occasion the place you actually need that knee to go in entrance of the toes.

Pak suggests considering of the knee actively transferring ahead as you sink down into the squat.

4. Enable your chest to return ahead

That is another instance of a typical squat cue that must be ignored once you’re doing a pistol squat. As an alternative of preserving your chest upright, you’ll profit from bringing it additional ahead on this transfer to appropriately stability your weight.