Pistol Squat
A single-leg bodyweight squat that demands significant strength, balance, and ankle and hip mobility.
Equipment: bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Stand on one leg with the other leg extended straight out in front of you.
- 2Squat down on the standing leg as low as you can while keeping the extended leg off the floor.
- 3Drive back up through your standing heel to return to standing.
Common mistakes
- Attempting this before building single-leg strength with step-ups and split squats first.
- Letting the standing heel lift off the floor, which is usually a sign of limited ankle mobility.
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3-4 | 4-6 | 2-3 min |
| Build muscle | 3-4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| General fitness | 3-4 | 12-15 | 45-60 sec |
Ranges reflect the same goal-based logic used by the workout plan tool. Actual set count in a generated plan also depends on how often this muscle group appears elsewhere in your week.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Pistol Squat safe for beginners?
The Pistol Squat is tagged advanced, meaning it generally works best once you already have some legs training experience. If you're new to training, building a base with the Barbell Back Squat first is a reasonable place to start.
See the Barbell Back SquatWhat muscles does the Pistol Squat work?
The primary mover is your quads. As a legs movement, it also involves your glutes and hamstrings.
How do I make the Pistol Squat harder as I get stronger?
Since this is a bodyweight movement, progress by adding reps or sets before anything else, slowing the tempo down (especially the lowering portion), or shortening rest between sets. Once bodyweight reps stop feeling challenging, that's usually the sign to add external load or move to a more advanced variation.
Related exercises
Learn more
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