Let's train the legs! Incorporate this particular exercise into your workout plan if you want to see progress quickly. This is how you can learn the Pistol Squat and that's what matters!
To whom the conventional squat variant is too boring, should start with Pistol Squats. The exercise is very challenging, but effective for legs, buttocks and sense of balance.
You don't need any equipment for this and you can do the exercise comfortably at home in your living room.
So if you're in the mood for some variety in your workout, the Pistol Squat is certainly the exercise for you.
Today you will learn what matters in the execution, what mistakes you must not make and one or two tricks that will help you learn this exercise.
Table of contents
What are Pistol Squats?
The German term quickly makes it clear what it's all about: the one-legged squat. This variation is one of the most difficult bodyweight leg exercises there is. After just a few repetitions, the thighs and gluteal muscles burn properly.
Pistol Squat has its name because of the final position. It reminds with a little imagination of a pistol.
With conventional squats, you always stand on two legs. If you suddenly find yourself standing on only one leg, it's a huge challenge for your entire body.
Thigh and buttocks muscles will be put to the test. Legs, feet, hips, back and abdominal muscles are required. You need a good sense of balance.
Why is it worth learning the Pistol Squat?
Learning the Pistol Squat pays off. The exercise provides balance. And it does so in terms of the muscle strength of your legs. Because just about everyone has a stronger and a weaker leg.
In the classic squat, the weight is distributed unevenly. The stronger leg takes on an average of 60 percent of the load. As a result, one leg gets stronger and the other gets weaker. With Pistol Squats you can compensate for this imbalance.
On top of that, the Squat Variation is a great way to stay in shape. And a lot of muscles are trained with only one exercise.
How can I learn the Pistol Squat?
If you are tired of normal squats and boring lunges, then the Pistol Squat comes just at the right time. The exercise brings a lot of variety into your workout.
Especially challenged in this squat variation are your thighs and buttocks.
Let's look at the exercise in detail.
- Equipment needed: no, but advantageous in the beginning: armchair, park bench or box
- Difficulty: hard
- Suitable for beginners: no
- Designations: Pistol Squat, single leg squat, rarely: Pistol Squat
- Muscle groups used: Thighs, buttocks, foot muscles, hips, back, abdominal muscles
One thing in advance: This exercise requires a lot of patience. Single-leg squats don't work right away, but require a few preliminary exercises - I'd like to show you four particularly effective ones now.
Deep knee bend as a preliminary exercise
- Stand up straight.
- The legs are completely closed. The arms are folded in front of the body.
- Now squat down deeply.
- In the best case your buttocks touch the heels.
- Press upwards in a controlled manner.
Fancy some more? Lunges with dumbbells!
Single leg squat on the wall
- Lean your back against a wall.
- The feet are about half a meter in front of your body.
- Stretch the arms forward.
- Now lift the right foot from the floor and stretch the leg forward.
- Bend the standing leg until you are at a 90 degree angle.
- Return to the starting position and change the leg.
Learn Pistol Squat
- Sit on a rise.
- The arms are stretched out in front.
- Stretch your right leg forward and tighten your toes.
- Use your left leg to push yourself up from the elevation. Keep your back straight and do not bend your upper body forward.
- The right leg remains stretched in the air.
- Stand still for a moment and then slowly sink back down.
Pistol Squat execution for beginners
Here comes another preliminary exercise to learn the Pistol Squat.
- Stand with your left foot on the edge of an elevation.
- You stretch your arms out in front of you.
- Now stretch the right leg forward.
- The toes are tightened.
- Bend the left leg until the thigh is approximately at a right angle.
- Hold the tension briefly and push back up in a controlled manner.
- Try not to lose your balance.
- Change the leg.
Learn Pistol Squat for advanced
If you can do the preliminary exercises without any problems, you can start with the real Pistol Squat.
- Stand in a hip-width position.
- Stretch your left leg straight forward and find your balance.
- Lean back a little. As if you were going to sit on a chair behind you.
- You stretch both your arms forward.
- Now go down with your upper body straight.
- The knee of your standing leg points slightly outward. The weight is on your heel.
- The other leg is extended and is parallel to the floor in the air.
- The goal is to get low enough so that the back of your thigh touches your calf.
- From this position, push yourself back up forcefully.
As you can see in the photo, I can't do this exercise perfectly yet either. It is optimal when you come down so far that the stretched leg is parallel to the floor.
Just like you see here in this video:
You can do ten cleanly executed Pistol Squats per leg? Then make your workout more difficult and pick up a kettlebell. Hold it close to your chest or extend it upward with your arms outstretched as you go down.
What are the biggest challenges with the single-leg squat?
In the single-leg squat, your entire body weight rests on one leg. While you need a good sense of balance for lowering, it gets a bit more difficult for pressing up. The biggest challenge of this exercise is the standing leg.
During the execution you put a lot of stress on your joints. If you perform the exercise incorrectly or if your muscles are not strong enough, you will not be able to extend the leg.
Most of your strength comes from your gluteus maximus and anterior thigh muscle. Your feet work hard to keep you from falling over. The ankle joints are challenged and must be very flexible so that you can bring the knee so far forward.
Therefore, this exercise is not suitable for beginners. They will despair of it and may also suffer injuries. However, this does not mean that you should abandon learning the Pistol Squat. There are a number of preliminary exercises that will prepare you for the exercise itself.
What physical requirements do I need for Pistol Squats?
In order for you to do single leg squats, you need to have a very good strength to bodyweight ratio in your legs. You can train yourself with intensive leg training on the exercise prepare
Also your Body center (i.e. abdomen and back) must be strong. Only then is it possible for you to maintain the tension you need for this exercise.
Why doesn't the Pistol Squat work for me?
Are you really exercising enough? This exercise requires a lot of patience and practice. One-legged squats do not succeed even very trained people the first time.
Often it fails due to a lack of mobility in the hips - then you can only perform the exercise with a rounded back. Shortened calf muscles are also a problem - you can tell because the heel just won't stay on the ground.
If you have a hard time keeping your balance, you may have shortened leg flexors and glutes.
If you always tilt backward, keep your arms extended at shoulder height and hold a light medicine ball or small dumbbell in front of your body. Even half a kilogram can make a decisive difference.
What some don't know: For some people, the ratio of upper body to lower body and arms to legs is not ideal. Sometimes it is anatomically impossible to perform single-leg squats.
What muscles does the one-legged squat strengthen?
Okay, legs and buttocks, that much is already clear. But there is much more. If you want to know exactly, then you should read the next lines.
Muscles that are used when learning Pistol Squat
- Front of thigh
- Back of thigh
- Foot and ankle muscles
- Po
- Hip
- Back
- Abdominal muscles
However, in order for you to succeed in the exercise at all, you need to have a good sense of balance. If you don't have good balance, you won't be able to perform the Pistol Squat.
What you need to pay attention to during execution
Are you doing the Pistol Squat for the first time? Then you should pay attention to a few little things so that you don't hurt yourself. If you keep this in mind, everything will go well.
Warm Up
The Pistol Squat you should never perform without warm up. The load on the knee and ankle joints is insignificant. Therefore, you should rely on a proper warm-up program.
Do some light squats and lunges before you get started.
Balance
Learning Pistol Squats is anything but easy. To perform the exercise correctly, you need to have a certain sense of balance.
If you don't have that yet, you should stick to normal squats at first. But soon it's worth switching to the Pistol Squat, because it effectively strengthens your legs, butt, hips, back and abs.
Also try to vary with the hands. One person will find it easier if their hands are extended forward and another will fold them in front of their chest. You have to try out what works well for you.
Knee
It's hard enough to stand on one leg, but you have to keep something in mind while you're doing it.
When learning Pistol Squat, always keep your knee in line with your foot and stay completely on the sole of your foot. Work deliberately and without momentum.
In any case, your knee should not fall inward.
Give your knee joints time to get used to the load. The exercise should not sting your knee.
Your back will remain straight and tense throughout the exercise and make sure that your pelvis does not tilt.
Mobility
Pistol Squats are not equally suitable for every body type. Relatively short legs and a long torso are ideal. If it's the other way around, greater leverage is exerted on the knee joint. This can become problematic.
For people who have no problem with the deep squat, single-leg squats are more suitable than for athletes who are more immobile due to their constitution.
Take on this challenge: 30 days of legs!
Tip: Learn one-legged squats with a partner
If you've been wanting to learn Pistol Squats for a while but just can't seem to get it done, find a workout partner. If you hold hands while you squat, it will be a lot easier. You will also recognize your weak points better and you can motivate each other.
This way you can learn the Pistol Squat with a partner:
- Stand with an arm's length from each other
- Hold each other by the right hands
- Lean back, arms should be on tension now
- Raises the left leg and stretches it straight through
- Lower the buttocks and let yourself sink slowly backwards at the same pace
- When standing up the stronger supports the weaker
Our conclusion
The single leg squat is the perfect exercise to balance muscular imbalances of the legs. However, it is one of the most difficult exercises. You need a lot of patience and regular training to learn the Pistol Squat. But it definitely pays off!
Good luck!
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