Struggling To Get Your First Pistol Squat? Try This!

Do you struggle to keep your extended leg up/foot from striking the floor during pistol squats? Or do your quadriceps cramp?

This could mean you need to strengthen your hip flexors!

In the meantime, this amazing pistol squat progression will help bridge the gap. It’s a pistol squat/step-down hybrid. While your form will be similar to pistol squats, you will not need to elevate your extended leg as much in the bottom position.

As a result, you’ll be able to continue to work on your pistol squat technique, lower body unilateral strength, foot and lower leg stability, and controlled mobility WHILE you work on improving your hip flexor strength.

Coaching Tips:

Stand on a box, bench, or other stable elevated surface.

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

As for the non-working leg, keep it straight, close to the midline of your body, and ahead of your body/diagonal. Compared to regular step-downs, this will more closely mimic pistol squats. Contract your quadriceps and glutes on this 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 surface for the duration of the exercise. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the surface.

Extend both of your arms so they are chest height, make fists, and generate tension in your upper body. If you are holding weights, keep your arms rigid, by your sides (or at chest height as a counterbalance) and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.

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 step-down and lower to a range that allows you to maintain proper form.

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

Exhale after you have pressed away from the surface and are approaching the top position.

When you are performing the step-downs, 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, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, or hip to drop on one side.

Are you looking to get your first pistol squat ever and have been really frustrated with your lack of progress? Or can you already do pistol squats but want to improve your form, increase your reps, and learn more advanced variations? If so, The Ultimate Pistol Squat Program is for YOU! Being followed by people in at least 35 countries. Great for home AND gym workouts!

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