A single-leg squat where you lower and rise on one leg, focusing load on the quadriceps and gluteus maximus. It uses hip and knee flexion to descend and extend to return to standing.
How to do the Pistol Squat#
- Stand on one foot with the other leg extended forward and your arms reached out for balance.
- Brace your core and keep a neutral spine with your chest upright.
- Begin the movement by bending the hip and knee of the standing leg, sitting back and down as far as your mobility allows.
- Keep your weight through the heel of the working foot and control the descent without bouncing.
- Drive through the heel to extend the hip and knee and return to standing, then switch sides after completing the set.
Muscles worked#
Common mistakes#
- Lifting the heel of the working foot off the ground.
- Allowing the knee to collapse inward.
- Rounding the lower back or dropping the chest forward.
- Bouncing at the bottom instead of a controlled descent and ascent.
