5 Advanced Pistol Squat Variation You Need To Try!

Once you have mastered the fundamentals, the possibilities are endless! If you are still learning pistol squats, check out these two articles:

Troubleshooting 5 Key Reasons Why You Are Struggling With Pistol Squats

Conquer Pistol Squats With These 5 Exercises

Here are 5 advanced pistol squat variations you can learn.

#1) Pistol Squat + Pause

This exercise strengthens the glutes, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Fully extend the non-working leg, and plantarflex your foot (point it away from you). Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side. Keep this leg close to the midline of your body.

On the planted side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Unlike step-downs where the non-working leg hangs down in more of a diagonal position, you will lift the non-working leg so it is in more of a horizontal position. This will be especially important as you approach the bottom position of the pistol squat. Otherwise your foot will strike the floor.

Extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a pistol squat and slowly lower to a range that allows you to maintain proper form. Pause in the bottom position for 3-5 seconds.

Then press away from the floor and return to the top/starting position.

When you are performing the pistol squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine).

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#2) Pistol Squat Single Leg RDL Combo

This exercise strengthens the glutes, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Fully extend the non-working leg, and plantarflex your foot (point it away from you). Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side. Keep this leg close to the midline of your body.

On the planted side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now hinge/push your hips backwards. Pretend a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall.

When you reach your full range, engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the top/starting position.

Use a range where you can maintain proper form.

Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.

In the top/starting position, pause and perform a complete reset (breath in, brace, etc).

Now perform a pistol squat and slowly lower to a range that allows you to maintain proper form.

Once you hit your end range, press away from the floor and return to the top/starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round (and excessively round during the pistol squats), or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#3) Dragon Pistol Squats

This is one of the more challenging pistol squat variations you will learn.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

Fully extend the non-working leg, and plantarflex your foot (point it away from you). Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side. Keep this leg close to the midline of your body.

On the planted side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Unlike step-downs where you allow the non-working leg to hang down in more of a diagonal position, you will lift the non-working leg so it is in more of a horizontal position. This will be especially important as you approach the bottom position of the pistol squat. Otherwise your foot will strike the floor.

Extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a pistol squat.

When you are performing the pistol squat, unlike during regular pistol squats, you want to lean to the side. So if you are squatting using your left leg, you want to lean your body to the right.

Once you are about halfway to the bottom position, bring the knee on the opposite side to the outside of your working leg, and fully extend this leg so you are now in the bottom pistol squat.

When you are performing the pistol squats, pretend you are “pulling” your body down with your leg. Don’t just mindlessly drop down.

Do not relax or lose tension when you are in the bottom position. Many people make this mistake.

Once you hit your end range, perform the reverse movements, and press away from the floor and return to the top/starting position.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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#4) Pistol Squat L-Sit Combo

This exercise strengthens the glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.

Fully extend the non-working leg, and plantarflex your foot (point it away from you). Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side. Keep this leg close to the midline of your body.

On the planted side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Unlike step-downs where you allow the non-working leg to hang down in more of a diagonal position, you will lift the non-working leg so it is in more of a horizontal position. This will be especially important as you approach the bottom position of the pistol squat. Otherwise your foot will strike the floor.

Extend your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body.

Take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a pistol squat and slowly lower down to the floor.

Sit on the floor.

Once you are on the floor, lean back a slight amount, lift and fully extend both legs (so you are in an l-sit position), and plantarflex your feet (point them away from you).

Hold in the l-sit position for up to 15 seconds.

Then return to the bottom position of the pistol squat, and press away from the floor and return to the top/starting position.

When you are performing the pistol squat component, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#5) Pistol Squats With Anti-Extension Weight Lowering

This exercise strengthens the glutes, hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstrings, and the muscles in the foot and lower leg, and improves lumbo-pelvic stability.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on one foot, and have a slight bend in your knee. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Hold a weight so it is chest height. Extend your arms, and use the weight as a counterbalance.

Fully extend the non-working leg, and plantarflex your foot (point it away from you). Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this side. Keep this leg close to the midline of your body.

On the planted side, form a tripod base by placing your weight on the back portion of your foot, and the base of your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the pistol squat components. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the floor.

Unlike step-downs where the non-working leg hangs down in more of a diagonal position, you will lift the non-working leg so it is in more of a horizontal position. This will be especially important as you approach the bottom position of the pistol squat. Otherwise your foot will strike the floor.

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), and brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine).

Now perform a pistol squat and slowly lower down to the floor.

Sit on the floor.

Once you are on the floor, gently rock back so your entire back is on the floor, fully extend both legs, and plantarflex your feet (point them away from you).

As you are doing this, reach back with the weight, and lower your arms and the weight towards the floor. Use a range where you can maintain proper form.

Then perform the reverse movement with your arms and bring your arms so the weight is ahead of your body and at chest height, and return to the bottom position of the pistol squat.

Then press away from the floor, and return to the top/starting position.

The more momentum you use from your upper body, the easier getting into the pistol squat will be.

When you are performing the pistol squat components, do not allow your knee to fall inside or outside of your foot.

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

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