Pistol Squat is a gymnastics movement on Fiz. Single leg squat to full depth. Primary muscles: quads, glutes. Scored by reps. Featured in Mary.
Gymnastics

Pistol Squat

Single leg squat to full depth

Category
Gymnasticsbodyweight work on a bar, rings or the floor
Logged as
Reps
Primary muscles
Quads, glutes
Secondary
Hamstrings, core, hip flexors
Appears in
Mary on Fiz

How to do a pistol squat

3 steps
  1. Stand on one leg with the other extended in front of you.
  2. Push your hips back and lower under control, keeping the free leg off the floor.
  3. Reach the bottom with your hip below your knee, then stand back to full extension.

What counts as a rep

Movement standard
  • The hip crease passes below the top of the knee on the working leg.
  • The non-working leg must not touch the floor at any point in the rep.
  • The rep finishes standing to full hip and knee extension on one leg.

Common faults

2 faults

The heel lifts at the bottom and the athlete tips forward onto the toes.

FixKeep your weight in the middle of the foot and reach the arms forward as a counterweight. Ankle range is usually the limit, not leg strength.

The free foot brushes the floor at the bottom, which is a no-rep.

FixHold it a little higher than feels necessary. Fatigue drops it long before you notice.

Scaling ladder

1 easier
Pistol SquatWorks quads, glutes
Bulgarian Split SquatSingle-leg squat with rear foot elevated

Workouts using the pistol squat

1 on Fiz
MaryAMRAP

Frequently asked

4 answers
What muscles does the Pistol Squat work?
Pistol Squat primarily works quads, glutes, with secondary engagement of hamstrings, core, hip flexors.
How do you do a Pistol Squat?
Stand on one leg with the other extended in front of you. Push your hips back and lower under control, keeping the free leg off the floor. Reach the bottom with your hip below your knee, then stand back to full extension.
What counts as a rep on the Pistol Squat?
The hip crease passes below the top of the knee on the working leg. The non-working leg must not touch the floor at any point in the rep. The rep finishes standing to full hip and knee extension on one leg.
What's an easier alternative to the Pistol Squat?
Scale it to Bulgarian Split Squat.
Gymnastics movementsThe other 35 entries in this category The full movement library221 movements, with muscles worked and scaling both ways Log the pistol squat in FizFree on iOS and Android