The Ultimate Guide for Nailing The Pistol Squat

Performing a pistol squat requires strength, balance, and solid ankle and hip mobility. As you lower down in a single-leg squat, keep your non-working leg kicked out in front and your arms lifted for balance. Use progressions to build control until you can nail your first full pistol squat. You’ve probably seen someone in the gym drop down into a pistol squat and thought, “Okay, showoff,” or maybe, “Wow, I wish I could do that.” 

The pistol squat isn’t just a move that looks like it belongs in a Cirque du Soleil act — it’s a serious exercise that demands balance, mobility, and strength. You’re lowering into a deep squat on one leg, staying controlled the whole way down, and then powering back up without toppling over. And maybe throwing in a “ta-da” after your rep because, admit it, you’re extra.

We’ll cover exactly how to do pistol squat form, pistol squat progressions, and what this cute little unilateral move can do for you.

How to Do Pistol Squats: A Step by Step Guide

• Start standing tall. Extend your arms out in front of you to support your balance and shift your weight onto one leg while lifting the other up off the floor towards your arms.
  
  
• Engage your core and squeeze your glutes before sending your hips back as you bend your knee and lower down into a single-leg squat. Keep that non-working leg lifted off the ground.
  
  
• Go as low as mobility allows — ideally into a position where your hamstring and calf are touching — keeping your planted foot flat on the ground and your other leg lifted.
  
  
• Now to come back up to standing, exhale as you press through your rooted foot to push back up. 
  
  
• Switch sides.

How to Work Up to Your First Pistol Squat

If dropping into a full pistol squat feels scary, difficult, IMPOSSIBLE — you’re not alone. Building confidence in this move takes time, and your body needs to develop the mobility, balance, and strength required to drop it low and pick it up slow. To help you master this move, here are some progressions that can help you solidify the pistol squat form.

Step 1: Build a Baseline

Bench stretch: Your ankles need a good amount of flexibility and dorsiflexion (aka the opposite of a pointed toe in ballet) to pull off this one-legged squat. Targeted mobility work can help you open up that range of motion. To try it, place your foot flat on a bench and pull your chest toward that foot — allowing your knee to track over your toes until you feel a stretch in your ankle and calf. You can hold this position or work through slow and controlled reps, just no bouncing.

Single-leg stand: Balance on one leg without squatting down. This can help you build a base level of stability before learning how to do a pistol squat.

Air squat: With your feet shoulder width apart, toes forward, and a proud chest, bend your knees and hinge your hips for a bodyweight squat. This helps build foundational squat strength and mobility without the challenge of balancing on one leg.

If you’re comfortable and confident tackling air squats, balancing on one leg, and have given your ankles some dedicated mobility work, you’re ready to move on to assisted pistol squats.

Step 2: Add Assistance

Bodyweight assisted pistol squat: Take some of the load off that working leg by utilizing a chair, pole, resistance bands, a doorframe, your supportive (literally and figuratively) roomie or partner — what have you. If using a resistance band, anchor it overhead. Grab the resistance band, using your arms to take weight off of your leg, and lower down and power up in your pistol squat.

Single-leg box squat: If mobility limitations continue, practice your pistol squat with a box or bench behind you. Complete your single leg squat until you’re seated on that box or bench, then press back to standing. If available, you can continue this progression by swapping the bench or box out for a lower target — or lower an adjustable plyo box — to continue building strength in a larger range of motion. Before you lower your butt target, make sure you’re able to complete several reps with proper form.

Step 3: Push Your Progressions

Box step-down: Stand on a box or step and balance on one leg. Lower your opposite foot to the floor with control, doing a one leg squat, then push back up to standing. The goal with this pistol squat alternative is slow and steady — no momentum, no bouncing, just strength and control.

Eccentric-only pistol squat: Using proper pistol squat form, lower down on one leg, then stand up using both legs. You can also use this progression with any assisted pistol squat variation — band, box, etc — allowing yourself to work through the eccentric portion of the move then adding assistance to come back up.

Pistol Squat: Muscles Worked and Benefits

The greatest pistol squat benefit is obvious: you’ll instantly look cool doing it. Outside of your (I may be projecting) desire to be revered by your peers, this unilateral move is a powerhouse for identifying and addressing imbalances in strength, flexibility, and joint mobility.

Similar to split squats and Bulgarian split squats, training one leg at a time helps bring your wobblier, weaker side up to speed with the more dominant one, which can reduce your risk of injury in lifts, athletic pursuits, and daily life.

While mastering a full pistol squat takes time, you’ll be giving your legs and core some serious strength and stability work. Here's a full list of the muscles worked during a pistol squat:

• Quadriceps: These are the main event, the major movers here, controlling your descent and powering you back to standing.
• Glutes: The glutes stabilize your hips and support your quads as you fire back up out of that deep pistol squat.
• Hamstrings: The hammies play a supporting role through the pistol squat, assisting the quads to flex the knee and glutes to extend the hip as you lower and lift.
• Calves: Keeping your heel planted to the floor and the ankle stable throughout this move requires your calves to fire up.
• Core: Your abs and obliques engage to maintain an upright and stable torso.
• Hip flexors: These muscles are activated to help keep that elevated foot out in front of you. They’re also part of your core, attaching your spine to your legs, so they’re assisting in keeping your torso upright and your pelvis stable.
• Adductors: On the working leg, your adductors — muscles located on the inside of your thigh — work to stabilize the knee and keep your leg steady. They also lend a hand when it comes time to power up out of the lower squat position.

Pistol Squat Variations and Progressions

In no particular order, though I've stuck with a general easier-to-harder progression, here are some killer pistol squat variations:

Assisted pistol squat

As detailed above, you can use a box or bench to limit your range of motion, or a resistance band or TRX strap to help with balance and take weight off of your pistol squat. These modifications help you continue building strength and confidence in the movement pattern as you work towards a full pistol squat.

Floor rock into pistol squat

This variation utilizes momentum to assist with the hardest part of the pistol squat — standing back up. Start by lowering down in a standard pistol squat. Once you hit the bottom, roll onto your back, swinging your arms overhead. As you rock forward, throw your arms forward, replant your working foot, and use that momentum to drive yourself back to standing.

Weighted pistol squat

Use the same form as a standard pistol squat, but hold a dumbbell or kettlebell to your chest like you would in a goblet squat or extended out away from you to increase core activation. Adding weight increases the strength challenge and can actually act as a counterbalance, helping to keep you steady. Remember to start light and gradually work your weight up as your control and strength improves.

Shrimp squat

Balance on one leg, keeping your weight centered over your midfoot. Bend your non-working leg back like you’re trying to kick your own butt, and reach behind to grab that foot with one hand (or both hands if you’re feeling spicy). Lean slightly forward and squat down until your back knee taps the ground, then drive back up to standing. Compared to the pistol squat, this variation provides a pinch more stability in the squat — however, it may be more difficult at the lower range of motion for those with limited ankle mobility.

Dragon pistol squat

This advanced variation targets balance, hip mobility, and core stability. Start by balancing on one leg. Instead of sending your non-working leg out in front like you would in a standard pistol squat, swing it behind and around the outside of your working leg as you squat down. Both knees will bend, and at the bottom of that deep squat, your non-working leg and arms will be extended in the same direction in front of you.

Pigeon squat

Balance on one leg and cross your non-working leg over the top, like a figure four stretch. Lean your torso slightly forward, keep your knee pressed out, and extend your arms in front of you for balance as you slowly lower into a deep single-leg squat.

Common Mistakes People Make During Pistol Squats

• Bouncing at the bottom: This movement should be slow and controlled, without any bounce at the bottom of the squat.
  
  
• Knee Valgus (aka your knee collapsing inwards): If you find your knee caving in as you lower down, chances are your glute muscles need some strengthening to help keep your knee in line. Try adding some hip thrusts or glute bridges to give your backside some targeted attention.
  
  
• Heel lift: As you lower down in that squat, your planted heel may try and creep up on you. Work to keep that heel glued to the ground by incorporating ankle mobility drills into your routine.
  
  
• Pushing through knee or ankle issues: The split squat may not be an ideal movement for individuals with knee or ankle pain, so if you’re struggling through discomfort, consider putting your focus on a different unilateral movement like the step-up, reverse lunge, or Bulgarian split squat. These pistol squat substitutes can offer increased comfort and stability while still roasting your quads and glutes one leg at a time.

Takeaway

The pistol squat is no easy feat, and acquiring the strength, balance, and mobility to complete one takes some serious dedication. Whether you’ve got the ankle mobility of seasoned yogi or you can barely balance on one leg without tipping over, the progressions and alternatives here will help you build the confidence and know-how to crush your single-leg squat goals.

Pistol Squat FAQs

What’s the difference between a pistol squat and a single-leg squat?
The terms pistol squat and single-leg squat are often used interchangeably, but they’re not always the same thing. A pistol squat is a type of single-leg squat where your non-working leg is kept off the ground, lifted straight in front of you, as you lower to the floor and return to standing. A single-leg squat, on the other hand, might refer to this same movement pattern or include variations where the non-working leg bends behind you or lightly taps the ground for balance.

Can everyone do a pistol squat?
Everybody has a different body. Because of that, a pistol squat might not be in the cards for everyone, and that’s totally okay. However, with dedicated practice, patience, and a little stubborn willpower, many people can build the strength, mobility, and balance needed to nail a pistol squat. Remember: progress, not perfection, is the real win.

Are pistol squats hard on your knees?
Because the pistol squat is a deep, single-leg movement, there’s a good amount of stress and demand placed on your knees. If you feel pain in the ole’ bendy bits, dial back your efforts with this move, check your form, or try some regressions or alternatives to make sure you’re working with a solid foundation.

Rosie Borchert is NASM-CPT, former Nike Volleyball coach, and fitness writer whose work has appeared on BarBend and Tonal. If anyone would like to hire her to play beach volleyball, snowboard, binge watch TV, or go climbing, please get in touch.