Pistol Squat
A full-depth squat on one leg with the free leg held straight out in front as a counterbalance.
How to do it
- Stand on one leg with the other leg straight out in front and the supporting knee slightly bent.
- Reach both arms forward and keep your weight over the middle of the supporting foot.
- Sit the hips down and back as the supporting knee flexes, chest staying tall.
- Descend until the working hamstring meets the calf, or stop if the lower back rounds.
- Pause with the free leg still off the floor.
- Drive the heel down to stand, then switch legs.
Key technique cue
Lower under control, don't drop; knee over the toes, free leg held off the floor.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Letting the supporting knee collapse inward at the bottom.
- ✕ Rounding the lower back to force depth the hips do not have.
- ✕ Dropping into the hole on momentum instead of controlling the descent.
- ✕ Letting the free leg sag toward the floor and turning the lift into a partial squat.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds equal single-leg strength because each side has to finish the same depth.
- ✓ Trains balance, ankle dorsiflexion, and trunk stiffness with no extra load.
- ✓ Is a clear advanced benchmark for bodyweight lower-body programs.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Pistol Squat
About the exercise
The pistol squat is a rock-bottom squat on one leg. The free leg stays straight out in front while the working knee and hip flex until the hamstring meets the calf, then that same leg stands you back up. Quads are the target, with glutes, hamstrings, adductors, calves, and abs helping, and the lift is graded advanced. It is a high-demand bodyweight squat that fails as often on ankle mobility and balance as on raw strength.
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