Legs · Squat and lunge
Pistol Squat
The Pistol Squat mainly trains your quads and glutes. Also working: adductors, abs and calves.
Bodyweight
Standing, light pull
How to do it
- Stand on one leg, the other straight out in front
- Hips back and down, arms reach forward as you go
- Go as deep as you can with your heel on the floor
- Drive back up through your whole foot
Coach’s tip
The pistol usually fails because of ankle mobility, not strength. At first, hold the frame lightly with one hand or put your heel on a weight plate: and gradually take the help away.
Noticeably loads the knee. If you tell DCFT that this joint bothers you, the app leaves exercises like this one out and picks a better supported alternative.
Setup
Grip
Arms forward as a counterweight
Load
Bodyweight
You need
Nothing extra
Stability
Standing with a moderate load. Brace your core.
Alternatives
Other exercises for the same movement (squat and lunge). In DCFT you can swap with one tap, and the app only offers what your equipment allows.
Questions about this exercise
What muscles does the Pistol Squat work?
Mainly the quads and glutes. The adductors, abs and calves help.
What can I do instead of the Pistol Squat?
For the same movement: Cable Belt Squat, Cable Bar Front Squat and Cable Split Squat. In DCFT you swap with one tap.
DCFT
The Pistol Squat in DCFT
In the app this exercise comes with your weight: the plate to pin, what you lifted last time and a rest timer that starts by itself.
Free on the App Store for iPhone. Pro is a one-time purchase with no subscription.