Frustrated with Pistol Squats? Click here!

Why is the pistol squat so relevant?

First, it develops unilateral strength, addressing muscle imbalances that often arise from bilateral exercises.

Second, it improves your core stability and enhances joint mobility, crucial for injury prevention and efficient movement.

Lastly, mastering this move translates into better performance in various sports and daily activities, from running and jumping to climbing stairs and getting up from the floor.

In this blog post, I've created a detailed guide that caters to every stage of your pistol squat journey. My beginner, intermediate, and advanced training plans will help you overcome common challenges and achieve your goals.

BEGINNER PLAN:

🙁Is Knee Pain Ruining Your Attempts at Pistol Training? I’ve got you covered with these 5 BAREFOOT exercises.

📎 Do this plan once a week. All it takes is consistency!

1️⃣ Alternating Dead Bugs on Foam Roller: 5 minutes

• Why? 1) Improving your lumbopelvic stability is the 1st step to addressing knee pain. 2) You need to be able to stabilize in pistols!
• Nasal inhale when you lower your leg (don’t arch). Exhale & flatten your low abs when you lift your leg. Don’t fall off!

2️⃣ Full Squat Breathing: 5 breath cycles

• Sit on yoga block. Hug your knees.
• Nasal inhale down into your back & hips. Expand these tight areas. This is relevant because tightness can make squatting & pistols painful and lead to compensatory movements that put additional stress on the knees.
• Exhale all the air out, feel yourself round a little more.

3️⃣ TRX-Assisted Chair Squats: 3 sets of 8-12 reps

• Nasal inhale down, nasal exhale back up.
• Move with control. Use your arms to assist you.
• Keep your knees & feet equally separated to avoid creating stress on your knees.
• Only move in pain-free ranges. Once pain-free, progress to 4️⃣.

4️⃣ TRX-Assisted Chair Pistols: 3 sets of 5-10 reps/leg

• Nasal inhale down, nasal exhale back up.
• Trust your arms to help you sit back. Move with control.
• Only move in pain-free ranges. Progress to chair pistols without the TRX.

5️⃣ Hip Flexor Strengthening: 3 sets of 5 reps/side + hold last rep 10s.

• Why? You need strong hip flexors to do pistols!
• Sit on a yoga block in the bottom position of a pistol.
• Reach forward. If you can’t, then put your hands on the floor at your sides.
• Don’t lean back when you lift your leg. Keep your leg maximum straight.
• Exhale as you lift leg, inhale as you lower leg. Don’t hold your breath during the hold.

Ready to take it to the next level? Do my pistol squat clinic in my Strength Academy

INTERMEDIATE PLAN:

Can’t do pistols? Try these 4 exercises for strength and stability:

📎 Do this plan once a week. All it takes is consistency!

1️⃣ TRX-Assisted Pistols: 3 sets of 5-8 reps/side.

• Nasal inhale down, nasal exhale back up.
• Move slowly with control, especially during the hardest part (getting out of the hole).
• Only move in pain-free ranges. Use your arms to assist you.

2️⃣ Bottom Position Drills: 3 sets of 5 reps/side. Don’t hold your breath

• a) Pistol Straight Leg Raises
• b) Pistol Roll-Ups

3️⃣ Chair or Stool Pistols: 3 sets of 5/side.

• Nasal inhale down, nasal exhale back up.
• Move slowly with control as you sit down.
• Lower the height of the chair/stool as you improve.

4️⃣Eccentric Pistols: 5 solid attempts per side.

• Nasal inhale down.
• The slower you move, the better, especially below parallel.

Ready to take it to the next level? Do my pistol squat clinic in my Strength Academy

ADVANCED PLAN

Frustrated with Pistol Squats? Fix Depth, Balance, and Strength with These 4 Exercises!

✅ Do these drills barefoot

✅ Don’t hold your breath! Nasal inhale as you squat down, Nasal exhale as you stand up.

✅ Do this plan once a week. All it takes is consistency!

1️⃣ Banded Pistols: 3 sets of 10 alternating reps

• Put a thick rubber band between 2 safeties on a squat rack.
• Incorporating Band-Assisted Pistol Squats into your routine will help you gradually build the strength, stability, and mobility required for a full pistol squat.

2️⃣ Banded Kickstand Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps/leg

This is an easier and more “knee-friendly” version than the pistol squat

• Kick back 1 leg slightly, resting on your toes.
• Put 90% of your body weight through your front leg.
• Start by performing a small hinge, then lower yourself straight down through the front leg.
• Squat to the band and stand back up through the front leg.
• If you notice that one leg feels easier than the other, this exercise can help you reduce those differences, leading to stronger, healthier knees.

3️⃣ Narrow Stance Squats with Kettlebell: 3 sets of 10