Pistol Squat
The pistol squat is a full-depth squat on one leg, performed without support, with the other leg held straight out in front of you off the floor. It works the thigh and glute of the standing leg, with the hip muscles that keep the knee in line helping, and it tests balance and ankle mobility as much as leg strength.
Also called: Single Leg Squat, One Leg Squats, Free Pistol Squat, Single-Leg Squat (Pistol) · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: squat
Step by step
- Stand on one leg with your foot flat and lift the other foot just off the floor in front of you. Reach your arms forward for balance.
- Brace your trunk and start the descent by sitting your hips back and bending your standing knee, keeping your heel down.
- As you go down, raise the free leg straight out in front of you so it stays clear of the floor.
- Let your knee travel forward over your toes, in line with your foot, while your chest stays up and your arms reach forward.
- Go down under control until the back of your thigh meets your calf, with your heel still flat.
- Drive through your whole foot to stand back up, keeping the free leg off the floor and your knee in line with your foot.
- Finish standing tall on the working leg, then repeat. Complete all reps on one side before switching legs.
- Heel stays flat on the floor
- Knee in line with your toes
- Arms reach forward as you sit down
- Free leg straight and off the floor
- Control the bottom, then drive up
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Quadriceps: vastus lateralis | Prime mover | B |
| Quadriceps: vastus medialis | Prime mover | B |
| Quadriceps: vastus intermedius | Prime mover | C |
| Gluteus maximus | Prime mover | B |
| Quadriceps: rectus femoris | Secondary | C |
| Adductors | Secondary | C |
| Gluteus medius/minimus | Stabiliser | C |
| Hamstrings: biceps femoris (long head) | Stabiliser | C |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | C |
| Tibialis anterior | Stabiliser | C |
| Soleus | Stabiliser | C |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Heel lifting off the floor
Fix: Keep your heel flat; a small plate under the heel can help you reach depth.
Knee caving inward
Fix: Push your knee out so it tracks over your middle toes.
Dropping into the bottom
Fix: Go down under control and hold the bottom for a moment before rising.
Free leg touching the floor
Fix: Raise the free leg straight out in front and hold it there.
Falling backwards
Fix: Reach your arms forward as a counterweight while you sit down.
What the research says
Muscle growthGeneral fitnessSport performanceEndurance
- Single-leg transfer — A meta-analysis found single-leg training improved one-leg jumping more than two-leg training did, while two-leg training improved two-leg strength slightly more. Speed and change of direction showed no clear difference.
- Depth — In a barbell squat trial, deeper squats grew the glutes and inner-thigh (adductor) muscles more than shallower squats, with similar thigh (quadriceps) growth. The pistol works through that full depth.
- Load and effort — Research finds lighter loads grow muscle about as well as heavier ones when sets are taken close to failure, so high-rep bodyweight sets can still build the legs.
- Progression — The load is fixed at bodyweight. Many trainees build up through box or assisted versions, then progress the pistol by adding reps, slowing the descent or holding a light weight.
- Balance — For most trainees, balance and ankle mobility limit the pistol before leg strength does. There is no direct research on training methods for the pistol squat.
Swap it mid-workout
With VALDA Pro, FLEX offers alternatives like these when you swap an exercise mid-workout.
Log the pistol squat in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.