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Single leg squats, also known as pistol squats, are an excellent exercise for strengthening your legs and improving their resilience. These squats also help with increasing mobility, as well as boosting balance and stability. This move primarily targets your glutes, hips, and quadriceps. Although challenging, there are variations of the squat that can make it easier to master.
Steps
Performing a Chair or Partial Pistol Squat
Start by sitting on a bench, chair, or box with plenty of space around you. This exercise begins in a seated position, where the bench or box will support your squat movement.
- Clear the area around you to ensure you don’t injure yourself or damage anything nearby.
- Select a surface that is slightly above knee height for best results.
Extend your arms straight out in front of you. You can either interlock your fingers or simply keep them extended. Ensure your arms remain level and straight as you perform the squat, avoiding any movement up or down during the exercise.
- Your arms should stay parallel and at shoulder height throughout the movement.
Place one foot flat on the floor with your knee bent. Your foot should be firmly planted, with toes pointing straight ahead. Ensure your heel stays grounded and does not lift off the floor during the exercise.
Extend your other leg straight in front of you. While keeping one leg bent, extend your opposite leg forward, ensuring that your knee remains straight.
- Your toes on the extended leg should face upward at an angle towards the ceiling.
Press through your heel and attempt to stand up off the chair. Keep your back straight and engage your core as you rise, pushing with your bent leg. Aim to balance at the top and hold the position briefly for one second before lowering back down.
- You might lose your balance during this phase. If that happens, reset and try again from the starting position.
Gently sit back down on the chair. After holding your standing position for a second, gradually lower yourself back into the chair. Keep your weight centered on your heel and maintain an upright posture.
- Your goal is to control the descent, ensuring you don’t just drop into the chair or lose balance.
Performing an Assisted Rep Pistol Squat
Locate a pole or door frame with enough space around it. You can find a pole at a gym or park, or if that’s not available, a door frame in your house can work. Ensure there’s ample space around it for movement.
- If you use a door frame, make sure to inform others in the house so they are aware.
Grip the door frame with both hands at shoulder height. Hold onto the door frame firmly with both hands. The frame will help guide your motion as you descend into the squat position.
- Position yourself so that you’re holding the frame and your feet are about 3-6 inches away from it.
Extend one leg out past the door frame. Stretch one leg forward, keeping it straight, with your toes angled toward the ceiling.
- Keep a firm hold on the door frame or pole to help with balance, while maintaining an upright posture.
Lower yourself by sitting back and bending your knee. As you descend, adjust your hands to follow your body down the pole or door frame. Aim to get as low as possible, so that your buttocks nearly touch the floor.
- Avoid relying on your arms to complete this move. Overuse of your arms will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
Push down with your planted foot to rise up. Maintain your balance by holding the door frame for support, and push through your planted foot to stand. Ensure that your extended leg remains straight and does not touch the floor during the motion.
- Avoid using your arms to pull yourself up. Instead, rely on the strength of your calves, glutes, and quadriceps to lift yourself.
Performing a Full Pistol Squat
Extend both arms straight out in front of you. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, and extend both arms forward, interlocking your fingers.
- Ensure both feet are firmly planted on the ground with your toes pointed straight ahead.
Extend one leg out in front of you. Stretch one leg straight out in front, keeping your knee locked. Your foot should angle upward with your toes pointing toward the ceiling.
- Make sure this leg does not touch the ground.
- If you're not yet flexible or strong enough, you can try bending your knee and lowering your leg to make it more manageable.
Lower your body by sitting back and bending your knee. Lower yourself smoothly and without jerking motions as you squat back.
- Squat as deeply as you can to maximize the benefits of this movement.
Press down through your foot to rise. From the lowest point, push through your heel to stand up. Keep your extended leg straight and your arms extended in front of you.
- If you lose balance on your first try, don't be discouraged. It’s part of the learning process.
Evaluating Your Readiness and Ensuring Safety
Ensure you can perform regular squats before attempting single leg squats. Single leg squats are more advanced than regular or weighted squats, so you should be comfortable with standard squats first. Successfully doing free squats, one of the most basic variations, will give you a good idea if you're ready to tackle single leg squats.
- Test your capabilities further by trying free squats with a barbell.
- If you’re unsure how to properly perform traditional squats, check out Do-a-Squat, Box-Squat, and Do-Free-Squats for guidance.
EXPERT TIP
Laila Ajani
Certified Fitness Trainer
Certified Fitness Trainer
For those just starting out, chair or box squats are a great option. Performing high-repetition, easier squats can help build your strength and train your body to properly execute squat movements. If you're unable to do squats yet, begin with lunges and gradually work your way up to squats once you’ve gained more strength.
Avoid squats if you’re dealing with knee, back, hip, or ankle injuries. Single leg squats place stress on various joints and muscles. If you’ve recently sustained an injury, it’s best to hold off on doing single leg squats until you’re fully healed. Even if your injury is older, pain may resurface. In such cases, seeking medical advice is strongly recommended.
- Don’t stop exercising completely while injured. Modify your workout routine to avoid stressing injured areas, and reduce the frequency of your workouts.
Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise regimen. This is particularly crucial if you have a chronic illness or heart condition. While exercise is generally beneficial, under certain circumstances, it could be dangerous. Always check with your healthcare provider before making changes to your fitness plan.
- Exercise can sometimes slow down the decline of muscle strength in conditions like muscle-related diseases.
- If you have diabetes, exercising may lower your blood sugar, which could lead to dizziness or fainting.
Keep practicing and gradually work up to the single leg squat. Many gym-goers struggle to perform the single leg squat, so consistent practice is key to mastering it. Before attempting the full pistol or single leg squat, focus on perfecting assisted and partial pistol squats to build your technique and endurance first.
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Although it may seem counterintuitive, holding a weight while performing this exercise can act as a counterbalance, providing additional support if you’re having difficulty.
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To build endurance for the pistol squat, try holding the bottom position of the squat for longer periods.
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If balancing is a challenge, focus on a fixed point on the floor about 3–6 feet (0.91–1.83 m) in front of you to help maintain stability.
