He never actually demonstrates a pistol squat. A proper pistol squat involves good control at the hip as well as the requisite mobility of the ankle joint. Bob demonstrates this by hanging off a pole in the bottom position. Point is, people that do posses this ability to perform a pistol squat won't get hurt because all the muscles that co-ordinate the movement help align the patellar correctly, and keep their pelvis from rotating posteriorly. The ones that get hurt simply don't belong in that position and have chosen the wrong single leg exercise to train.
He also has his heel WAY off the ground in the bottom position, which puts the pressure on the knee he is referring to when demonstrating. Your heel should always be on the floor and chest up. There's nothing wrong with this squat when performed with correct form. However, most people DO NOT have the mobility needed to perform the pistol squat properly.
It is impossible to keep the back straight or hold your knee in line, because you would lose balance and literally fall on your ass. No muscular strength can avoid that. Hence, this exercise forces you into bad ergonomics.
Hi jason. Just a general comment, not specificly to these squats. Warnings dont mean that all who do or use the dangerous thing, also get the consequences. Think of smoking. Lots live to old age and dye of other causes than lung cancer
Pistol squats are amazing. Your straight back explanation is hilarious. No one is doing pistols with 400lbs. Actually the whole point of pistol squats is relieving the constant stress of barbell squats on the back and be able to do them anywhere. No one carries weigjt with them everywhere. This is absurd. All olmpic lifters take their knees to end range constantly. Apperently their pt isbt worried about their knees
@@king0vdarkness I think so at least. I could barely do a pistol squat...started doing bulgarian split squats with dumbbells and now i can do pistol squats way more easily.
And pure dumb luck. People do dangerous and unhealthy things for their whole lives without consequence. That doesn't necessarily mean they did anything more properly than all the people who develop injuries, it's just luck.
@@camerontetz2011 don't disregard the hard work and effort that some of us put it to be able to do things others can't. It isn't "luck" it's intentional. If more people took the time to actually develop proper mobility and train their muscles to support them in those positions you would find its possible for anybody to do these things without "luck". This man's ankle mobility is atrocious, of course he cant do a propper pistol squat lol. Stop listening to 2 out of shape old men and type in "knees over toes guy" and watch his videos. Maybe take the training. 1 month in you'll change your tune. No such thing as luck.
@@EightyThreeG Listen, I too have seen that guy popping up all over the place. I feel very moved by his videos, as I'm sure you do too. They're very galvanizing, I feel very excited for the future of my knees and the future of my athleticism because of the things I'm learning from him. Still, that doesn't mean it isn't luck. You can still have unfortunate genetic limitations to your potential, it isn't uncommon. Pistol squats in the 40s doesn't sound unlikely, but but neither does inescapable loss of performance. I wouldn't say the odds are 50/50, because that's arbitrary and probably unfair, but I still want to count my blessings.
@@camerontetz2011 it is not luck, you have to progress thru flexibility of knees, ankles, and hips until you can do it very low. The knee over toes guy proved this, and even the very old who had trouble walking, can start at their lvl and progress until they are stronger and can walk better. Check him out. It's actually possible, no luck. Not saying everybody, but most people can do it.
I'm a PT myself and I would never recommend this exercise to any of my patients, not even athletes, not because the exercise is intrinsically dangerous, but because most people lack the necessary balance, strength and muscle control to perform it correctly. However, I don't see any reason why a sufficiently trained calisthenic athlete shouldn't perform them after a careful and gradual progression and after gaining the proper amount of strength and coordination. I believe they're actually an excellent exercise, possibly better and safer than normal weighted squats and I've learned to perform them myself properly (flat feet on ground, knee right above toe but not beyond). They can develop leg strength and balance to a degree two-leg squats cannot. Besides, concerns about spine flexion (yep, spine flexes slightly, so what? Spine is meant to flex and it's ok as long as back's unloaded) and excessive shear forces at the knee joint have recently been debunked by evidence.
thanks, this exercise seems very prone to injuring ourselves..I'm pretty fit but not flexible and I cannot do these without holding on to something. When people do weird movements like this I always ask, is this really necessary, can another less risky exercise be used? Other than showing off, I really don't see the point in doing something that is unnatural and has more cons than pros, am I right?
@@SB-qo3bf Thanks, thats totally not me. I'm doing a fitness regime to build muscle and they make it seem like this is a simple and straightforward move when really only a small percentage of the population can do it with proper form..Thank you!! I will just do the bulgarian split squat..
btw, as a physical therapist, what is your view of leg extensions, I read that is another one where you need to employ proper form in order for it to do more good than harm...
You are not supposed to bring your heel off the floor when doing them. THAT in and of itself will kill the knee! He didn’t have correct form while showing the issues - that will cause issues. I agree though - they are hard on the knee no matter what but it is way worse when your form is not correct, like he was showing with the heel off the ground!
@@kasimirb5155 WRONG. The position of the foot affects knee drive. Knee drive affects the hips torso and the position of everything above it. These doctors can’t do a pistol squat correctly because they don’t have the ankle flexibility to keep the foot flat due to tight calves.
@@micahscott4024 No, it doesn't. The force on the knee remains (almost) the same, no matter whether you squat on your heels or on your toes (provided, you keep the same angle).
@@kasimirb5155 your wrong bro if your foot is more pointed your knee naturally becomes more stretched, not necessarily a bad thing by itself but the repetition is bad for your tendons when you don’t give them there proper rest, you should be doing them with the weight in the middle of the foot not the toes or the heel, this will allow you to sit back into them which is the intended form
This is just my personal experience: I had bad knees (both injured at different times when I was around 20 years old, nothing serious though) would limp a bit, lost range of motion and every now and then I would re-injure when kneeling or rotating or something silly like that. I was afraid to do squats at all, eventually started doing them and after 3 months moved to pistol squats, now I'm 37 years old and my legs feel great, havent re-injured myself since the squating began and can kneel and sit on my heels like I used to. I do not know what will happen when I'm 55 or more but I think it's important to pay attention to form (on any exercise). I do not pistol squat with a curved back or on my toes! I bend and the hip and keep the heels on the ground! Anyway, happy new years guys, thanks for all the videos.
Yeah I agree with you and I also only do them only. when I’m fully rested. I went from working out 6x a week to only twice or once a week and have not lost any strength. Best rule is to listen and know your own body. Keep on keeping on!
@@twotime88 Had a similar experience with frequency. Used to work out almost everyday then went to 2-3 days a week and would still see progress. Nowadays I'm back at almost the whole week but because I split what I do and yeah if for some reason I feel extra tired or a bit weird I just skip that day or a particular exercise.
@@droidJV I feel your pain. I can relate to all of you on this. About 7 years ago I twisted my knee weird while getting out of my car. Didn’t think it was a big deal. Something changed that day though. Same issue where kneeling would do something terrible for it. 6 months later went to an Ortho. No tears or anything obvious on imaging. Still flares up here and there but same thing, I have to switch up what I do so I don’t aggravate it and that’s been working out fine. So annoying when your mind is ready to go but your knee doesn’t agree!!
@@hazelbotedapgonzalez6172 oh it still bothers you every now and then? dang I do think I'm kinda lucky, can't tell for sure if the squats where the miracle but having strong muscles (and being light in my case) probably helped a lot. Thanks for sharing! Take care.
I got runner's knee from doing barbell squats, actually. (Tendonitis in the tendon that connects to the top of the knee cap). I took a break from all squat-type exercises for 4 months then tried pistol squats only. So far so good. It's been like 6 months, I do pistol squats twice a week and me knees feel great.
Agree...it supposed to simulate a regular squat on one foot. I believe the dostribution of stress will be different. Was hoping they could demonstrate the actual position so i know if its something i should stop😅
Those two alternatives are progressions to the full pistol squat. Not everyone will get there. As for longevity, I’ve seen elderly martial artists doing pistols while balancing on a post. But that’s a result of a lifelong pursuit. Train safe, train smart.
Just because you have anecdotal evidence of watching martial artists doing pistol squats doesn’t disprove the fact the movement puts the knee in a generally compromised position.
@@MikeystonetYou strengthen the area and you supplement for healthy joints so it doesn't happen. Also it's called knowing your limits. You unathletic bitter fools, stop being dumb!! And I'm saying this from someone that does pistol squats n my knees r better than most. If you don't use the muscles around it / the joint itself you will be weak when you try to use it or you will hurt yourself because you're over straining it cuz you didn't strengthen the area or the area is not used to that type of movement under pressure, area meaning joint and tendons etc
@@Mikeystonetknees over toes guy now prove this is much better for knee health vs the outdated theory that knees over toes hurt knees. The outdated theory have injured so many people unnecessarily.
@@Mikeystonet But the examples displayed in the video are comically bad. Why was he standing on his tippy toes? Why was his back unnecessarily rounded? It's obvious he lacked the coordination and agility to do the pistol squat and the bad things he pointed out about it are due to his own bad form.
Pistol squats with hip internal rotation mobilization & glute strengthening exercises have pretty much completely fixed the patellofemoral pain I've had for years.
Your heel is up when you demonstrate the 'bad' squats but your heel is down when you do the 'recommended' single leg from the chair. In fact, your heel is already up on the "pistol" you demonstrate when you lower only at like 30°. Also, when someone does a deep squat (not on the toes but actually on the heels), the knee joint is not at end range. You can see this if you're seated: you can easily flex your knee past this point and to its actual end-range (even a knee-to-chest you can see the increased angle compared to the knee joint angle in a deep squat). You guys should know proper squat mechanics but being on your toes illustrates there is a gap in knowledge here. And the way you over flex your spine at the bottom.. just stop.
I started doing the hack squat recently but my view is that the heels shouldnt raise so that is your range of motion. My trainer had told me to keep my feet low and close and dont mind if the heels raise but the sensation ddint feel good on my knees. I use reverse bands now to lighten the weight at the bottom and have the feet high and wide, ill aim to edge them down over time.
Totally agree! His form was bad and that will cause knee issues for sure!! It puts all the force in the joint and not in the glute muscle where it belongs. I stopped listening at that point. They should know that that was not the correct form.
@@lmc4964 yes, definitely stay on the heels. there are multiple reasons why going onto the toes is bad (shearing stress on the knee, loss of energy through the kinetic chain, involving more joints, etc). if you're having a hard time staying on the heels, you may need more ankle or even hip mobility, you may not be able to go as low in your squat which is okay, and you can also try changing the width of your stance. good luck!
One key thing I don't see mentioned in the comments, is when you go up from the squat, you have to push with your *glutes* , not your knee. This is the same with regular (two legged) deep squats. The quads etc assist, but they *are not* and *should not* be the primary mover, especially near the bottom. I can say from my own experience that when I forget to engage the glutes properly, then my knees hurt after a deep squat. When I use my glutes, my knees are fine. It has been mentioned by others that the heel must be flat on the ground. This is important for the overall posture and mechanics of the squat. But even more importantly, this provides a stable base for your glutes to push against. When you're on your toes, you're more than likely too wobbly for your glutes to do their job. You absolutely *have to* train your ankle mobility first, learn to activate your glutes (mind-muscle connection), and learn to do regular deep squats in good form and using the glutes as the primary driver, before even considering the pistol squat. And then progress to them gradually, training your strength, balance, and ROM gradually, while making sure you maintain good form all along.
I've got to say, I tested pistol squats back when I wasn't ready just because I thought I was "strong enough" and almost wrecked my knee. I took my time moving really slow through progressions and I can really tell the difference. It's not even just a matter of strength, but mobility and coordination. Just take it very slowly, and build on it step by step. The example they showed on this video is not unlike what I tried to pull on the beginning, haha
I think it is important to understand and know your body’s ability and limitations. There are a lot of people who are able to perform this movement correctly and safely, while there are others that are not able to. However, for those who are not able to, it doesn’t mean that they will not be capable of doing so correctly and safely at all. In fact, if you take time and effort into taking baby steps, you will be surprise in what your body can do. Certain limiting factors could be lack of flexibility, coordination, and / or restricted mobility at the hips, ankle, feet, and/ or a non active life style, or more. With any exercise, it is crucial to take precaution and to not just jump right into it.
Don't say a pistol squat is bad for you when you yourself can't do one. He has no ankle mobility, his back is not strait, and his hips are very un-positioned. I've been doing them for 7-8 years and have achieved doing them with 50 lb. dumbbells in each hand and still have no pain.
Totally. Foot should be flat on the ground. Everything should be tense. Do that and the bottom position looks nothing like in this video. However, they got the back rounding part....kind of. They greatly exaggerate it.
@@trevbarlow9719they are fools that don't know what they're talking about and people assume they do because they got pieces of papers that says physical therapist and that's supposed to mean something🤣 people dumb asf
But the pistol squat form you're demonstrating is wrong. The knee doesn't push forward, it goes up towards your chest, and you keep your heel to the ground. Bad technique can lead to injury, but that's not solely due to the pistol squat being harmful. I really like the work you two have done over the years and I know you're coming from a good place, but you may have overlooked a few things in this video.
You should never do pistol squats with that kind of form. Of course you’re going to injure yourself. You should have high flexibility throughout your ankle, legs and hips to perform this exercise correctly.
At 50 (back working out for the last year after 25 years hiatus)…pistols really help injured knees, I think you’re off on this one for those of us who are trying to be athletes.
I have been doing pistol squats for a while without issue...until a few days back. I was too hasty, I wasn't in the mood that day, and knew I was ignoring correct posture but still kept going. Now my lower back is wrecked. Basically, just want to say, from personal experience, correct posture and form is everything.
Your form here doesn’t look too good, your back is curved and your heel is way off the ground. Maybe pistol Squatting with bad form is the culprit behind injuries rather than the exercise itself being the problem. Just a question that occurred to me while watching.
I knew this video would bring out some controversy about my form with my heal not being flat on the floor. I really appreciate the Pro Pistol squat peoples concern about this video, however, regardless of your heal being down for "proper form" or up - The weight bearing knee and low back experiences high stress at End range flexion which is increasing risk for injury. If you watch the whole video, I believe this is clarified. Thank you for watching and your feedback. Have Healthy, Fit and Painfree 2021.
Yeah I still don't agree that they're bad. I know it's bad for YOU Bob/Brad because you can't actually do one. People with the appropriate mobilty and strength that can do this variation (unsupported) won't experience that high knee and back stress you refer to because the quads/Hams are strong enough to support the knee - the hip capsule is probably different to yours and the low back doesn't experience as much flexion because their femur doesn't smash into their acetabulum. Just show me guys, show me someone that can Actually do it AND gets hurt. I think your video on this subject matter should have explored what mechanics and traits are needed to do this exercise correctly and discussed some risk reward alternate exercise etc....
@@RC_FITNESS_ You are absolutely correct. There are no "BAD" exercises. You have to gradually progress to this level. The tissue will adapt to the loads we place upon it. The key is slow and gradual exposure and progression. It is rapid fluctuations in load or activity that cause injury. The talk about the back being at risk just because it is rounded is completely untrue as well.
@@mehab yeah agreed. One man's medicine is another man's poison. As stated earlier it really depends on the individuals motor control and movement potential ✌️
No, there is no "pro" pistol squat and "anti" pistol squat; there is pro-science and anti-science. This is an incorrect application of medical principles in this video and it's obvious: I showed this video to my ortho and she screamed. The bottom position is basically a one-legged Asian/Slav squat, which would also be extremely detrimental if one were resting on the balls of their feet like this.
Im 57, 6-5 hell bent and inspired to not only do a pistol squat, but to master. I have just completed the shriimp squat and am getting better at it. I think the Pistol Squat is a beautiful move, its body weight, and I dig it
to someone who can't do pistol squat properly without using any tool to help, instead using tools to do a full ROM pistol we can do a progression first to strengthen and work on mobility.. like working on normal squat and do rectus femoris exercises to strengthen and do full ROM calves raises for ankle mobility.
Some amazing insight! As a ballet teacher this really helps me broaden my knowledge. I used to be asked to this always by my teacher till I started to hurt my back and knees just as you said. Makes me realize some things I was doing while dancing professionally were not helpful at all. Love your channel! Thank you again!
It's great! It has helped me stabilised my knees using the quads and hamstrings, but I can also do the splits easily, so your miles might vary. Don't push it if you can't do it
As a PT (personal trainer not a physiotherapist lol), the one thing that nobody disagrees about when it comes to building strength and mobility (yes, and also muscle mass) in a muscle group/joint/motion is *progessive overload.* You start off using light weights and gradually increase them as your body adapts to deal with the higher force requirements. This same principle also applies to ROM (range of motion). You start off using a limited range of motion (stopping when you feel pain) and build strength in that ROM (using a weight like Brad was doing on the chair). Then you decrease the weight as you progressively get into greater and greater ranges of motion (using the wall to assist you perhaps to get into deeper positions). Eventually, you build strength in those ranges of motion as well as the more traditional ranges of motion. As someone who can do 15 pistol squats per leg, my knees aren't taking maximum force in end range of motion. This is because they are only taking my full bodyweight at end range of motion while in a more limited range of motion (on a leg press) they can do 3x my bodyweight for reps or 1.8x my bodyweight on a back squat (to below 90 degrees).
4:04 When you do a pistol squat, you are supposed to keep the entire foot on the ground, including the heel, that's why your knee is so much forward. If you cant keep the entire hell on the ground when you perform these, you should slowly progress, until you you can get it right
2:07 I disagree with that. I've been training hells off floor and knees fully bent far over toes movement including loaded squats. I haven't experienced any pain and I've become much stronger in my legs and confident in them
I gradually progressed from 5 pistol squats in a row to 65kg zercher barbell pistol squat for 2 reps. your back will not be completely straight, but your back will not be injured because your back also gets stronger while you progress!
Good grief, guys. Brad had AWFUL form in his demonstration. You're not supposed to get your knee that far forward at the bottom of the squat, my guy. I mean, sure... Every exercise can be detrimental if you don't bother to do it correctly.
People commenting about his form are missing the point. At 2:08 his premise: Putting a joint at end range with max force increases risk of injury. They also mentioned risk/benefit ratio, and I’m totally fine with the potential risk involved.
my dad made us boys do squats for punishment..we were also worldclass athletes.. he got tired of spanking us.. our knees are shot now.. dont do them until youre 40 or older.. preferably never
im not blaming my dad..he was trying to do the best for us and was tired of spanking us daily..we deserved it.... we still would have preferred the spankings ahahhaah
agree you should ease into these: build hip mobility, lots of leg strength, fortify your VMO, build a good deep squat that you can comfortable sit in, start doing them with assistance (hold a bar, TRX, etc) but if you do it right pistol squats are an amazing exercise for strength and mobility
This is a bit incomplete and misleading guys. Brad’s ankle ROM is an issue. There shouldn’t be strain on the knee or the lower back if your following the correct progression of your squat. If you can’t squat correctly (with your feet flat, knees opened out while your first ray is still pointing forward) you obviously can’t pistol. Being barefoot is the place to start if your squat is off. Then strengthen your glutes. If your feet, ankles and butt are working correctly, your knee won’t be strained. It may take some work and time. Squat University on IG is a solid resource.
Yeah, but to get that 'correct form' with a pistol squat is damned near impossible. Most people will need to round their back to achieve balance. Better option is a move in DDPY called 'crashing airplane', which is almost the same except you're leg is resting on the knee. Works the same core muscles, and works on balance without putting that knee at risk, plus you have to have proper back alignment to do it at all. Try it and see!
You guys are right IF you do them incorrectly like you two are showing 😅. The correct way is to keep the back straight, keep the knee in the middle of the foot, and keep your foot flat on the floor.
My two cents is, when you do the pistol just make sure you are not loading too much on your knee all throughout your descent. You gotta feel for it and try to direct tension toward your hip every 10 degrees or so to make sure not too much burden is being placed on the knee.
@@BobandBradY'all should retouch on the topic and correct yourselfs, couldnt even watch past 2 minutes Y'all talking out your asses trying to twist studies for your narrative smh I know The medical field's been politicized but man you don't got to act like politicians😂
Having a rounded back is fine and far from detrimental. The only time this would be an issue is if you would bearing load by adding weights. The fact that you cannot properly demonstrate it says a lot.
I can do pistol squats, my mobility is great, but there is still tons of stress on the joint if you don't push off your heels more and keep your knees from going over your toes. Still a high stress movement and sometimes just better to do more reps with something else. That said still a wayyyy better risk-reward over barbell squat lol
At 22, I built up to the point where I could do 30 pistol squats on each leg. I used to show off. One day, mid-squat, I felt a terrible pain tear through my knee. I’m significantly older now and that knee has never been the same. I can’t even do regular squats anymore. My other knee hurts, too. Sure, my form probably sucked when I got injured. But why take the risk when there are so many safer options?
Yes, there are many safer options. Even with proper form, this exercise causes me pain. I now only do goblet squats, lunges and skater squats. No pain with those and my legs are getting bigger and stronger. Sorry to hear about your knee.
The problem is with this exercise, because of the strain it can cause, you don't want to do too many repetitions. You want to work efficient with your reps, it's best to start off with pistol squats first before you get all the lifting done
Nobody comes on their toes and exaggerates the knee past the foot to that extent, Dooood. Idk, personally I include either pistols or Bulgarian split squats each workout and feel more than fine. 32 years old, been training for years. I do know they're bad for ur knees if u don't have the strength to perform them with control and execute decent form, that's why you build up muscle and tendons etc oer time before you attempt that a more advanced type movement. Also, those dudes don't even lift, fuck outta here with those degrees dawg, shiiiit
@@n.g.s1mple29 Knees Over Toes Guy, is an amazing channel where he concentrates on development of the entire leg & lower back. His content is gold, rather unlike these two clownshoes.
Although you are supposed to keep your heel on the floor when you do pistols, I'll admit keeping your back straight is exceedingly difficult, as it pulls your center of gravity back and makes it even harder to not fall backward...that said, these days i tend to prefer the variation known as shrimp squats over pistol squats.
I do have the 3 points of contact when i pistol squat. In fact, I taught myself to do it in a single day BY keeping the back straight AND keeping the whole foot on the ground. I felt like the person who invented the pistol squat didn't know what they were doing, because I taught a woman how to do it, exactly like me, in about 10 minutes. I was pausing and repping them too, on that first day. Start in the bottom position by sitting, then getting up and balancing. It's literally like riding a bike. Now, if you're overweight, or have never squatted with any weight, no promises.
As a big of fan of Bob and Brad, I disagree with this video. I’m PTA and massage therapist myself. I am also calisthenics athlete. This is misleading, because yes, how Brad is doing a pistol squat is a 100 per cent a way to get injured. And for the average person who is very limited in ankle and hip Mobility, especially when they’re 40 plus, it won’t happen. As a 34 year old, who useeeed to have knee problems I do not anymore because I worked on mobility and strength that moved me towards a pistol. It’s a long road and there are a lot of steps, but your knees will feel impressively strong if you do it the right way and you’re not toooo old…. And it should never feel painful. Keep the videos coming though, mad respect.
U guys r wrong on this big time. What u r not considering is that just like any exercise u must progress to doing it to its full ROM and doing it right. A pistol correctly is with ur foot staying flat at all times(demands flexibility n mobility in Achilles tendon n calf muscles) and back flat at 45 degrees with a possible very minor rounding since we all have diff limb lengths and torso lengths which pose challenges to keeping certain angles on certain exercises. U begin by practicing sitting on something that u can stand back up from about 3 to 5 times minimum but 10 reps ideally as reps equal more practice. Then when it's easy u drop down to suttin lower and so on and so forth. Over time the practice builds all necessary things(tissues and nervous system) to be able to handle the movement..... yes even when ur all the way down Rock bottom and paused. It called S A I D(Specifc Adaptation To Imposed Demand). U guys should know better than to spew such ignorance
FYI, the gymnast who held weights was cheating. The hardest part of a pistol is the crunch at the bottom, which has to be super tight in order to tilt your torso forward to counter you from falling backwards. When holding weights, this does that for you. It looks impressive to onlookers maybe, but anyone who's done proper pistols knows this is a trick.
Squats and deadlifts make my knees ache 🤕 every time! Started doing step-ups with no weight and my knee is pain free and feeling great again! I used to hit pistols all the time, debating on bringing them back. Except muscle-ups, I think you can’t go wrong with calisthenics. Just takes time to learn mobility and gradually increase the weight
People in the comments gotta calm down. Bob and Brad are right about the high risk of injury a full pistol squat implies, especially the one done in the video on the tip toes to the lowest position. Biomechanicly, if you squat on the tip toes the force on the knees is much greater, and full ROM maximizes knee compression force. You all are right saying lack of mobility and coordination are the common limiting factors when we normally try a pistol squat, and when we progress gradually and prepare our body we can conquer a lot of movements and do them safely. But they are not denying all this, they are stating that a knee that has to hypeflex and bear the maximum compression force everyrep will degrade faster than a knee that doesn't do that, and you may prefer doing bulgarian split squats, box pistol squats or other single leg exercises that are not so hard on the knees. Man, this video is so right in some concepts and people are throwing shit at them no stop. Besides, most people have back and knee conditions and they don't know about them. How many people you know who complained about their joints? Forcing a joint with an issue like an asymptomatic meniscal tear, a light knee tenginopathy or it syndrome, pattella maltraking...(whatever you want) to progress a pistol may fuck that knee more. Plenty of exercises who are safer.
@@BobandBrad Thank YOU for doing videos that educates us and keep us safe. I feel this video especially because I suffered a pretty bad tear in the medial meniscus (had to get a partial menikscectomy) progressing an assisted pistol. P.D: If I had known you would read the comment I would have used a more polite vocabulary 😂. I sweared a lot.
I think yes they are right, but only applies if you are weak at squats. Cus you are not used to the load, especially at the full range, you could get injured easily. But not for seasoned or strong leg individuals. The key here is progressive load. Work on the eccentric pistol squat first if you are struggling with the contraction part.
I had patella tendinitis surgery last year and struggled to strengthen the muscles around my knees for a long time afterwards. The best exercises I found was Hack Squats as well as Sissy Squats on the Hack Squat Machine, and always done with little or no weight. I feel more uncomfortable pressure on my knees with barbell squats then I do with these. But I can’t say I would recommend doing it single legged, that would be far too much pressure.
Great video, boys! I'm not a fan of pistol squats either. They're the epitome of the "harder equals better" mistake that many people make. Sometimes harder is just harder with no actual increase in value. I liked your modifications too!
So the problem is that you are not doing a excellent pistol squat there. I train pistol squats 2 times a week with nearly perfect Form, straight back, heels flat and the right coordination. I am also able to do them with weights so far my best is 20kg*8 but I have to say that I really enjoy this exercise so that 6 warm up sets and 3 working sets on each leg is no problem for me. I start with 0 weights 2sets, 5kg 2sets,10kg 2sets,15kg, 18kg and 20kg. The problem is that you lack on everything you need for a good pistol: ankle mobility, bad coordination, bad mind muscle connection, no breathing, your hamstrings are too tight so that a straight back isn't possible and overall you lack on posture. Pistol squats are a high class exercise, every session you have to perfectionize your technique I myself needed only 2sessions to do like 5 of them but it took me like 20+ sessions to really perfectionize the technique, which is equal to nearly 4000 pistol squats. Months ago I had problems with my knee, hamstrings, quads and calves everything was messed up I ruined my legs because of hip shift in the back squat. Pistol squats helped me to balance my body since I perfectionized the technique I don't have any knee problems anymore. But yes it's a dangerous exercise, you can't just go up and down, you have to be one with your leg and everything has to match up with the other leg.
Just started incorporating these into my home workout it’s about good form if your form is off u can definitely injure yourself u gotta progress with it u can hurt yourself doing any exercise if your no proficient enough or haven’t progressed a bit
I do pistols, at the tender age of 61. They're done WITH THE HEEL ON THE GROUND! With the heel lifted, as in your demonstration, yes, the knee is at a very acute angle. That is bad form, and any movement done with poor form can be dangerous.
The back is not loaded on the pistol squat. They need mobility... and balance... exercises. :) But it's true... don't do pistol squats like this. If you don't have enough mobility try doing in elevated on a box for example.
Goodness guys. Learn how to do a proper pistol squat. The way you’re doing them is WRONG and guaranteed to cause injury. Do them right they’re an amazing body weight exercise.
Notice that at 3:39, as Bob is demonstrating a pistol squat position, his R heel is OFF the floor. This is NOT how to do a pistol squat. Pistol squats (and full regular squats using both legs) are completed with the heel of the active leg(s) in contact with the floor at all times. This requirement "forces" you to keep your lower back in alignment in order to maintain balance through the whole motion.
Guys, when you do a pistol squat you keep your heel down. You have no idea what you are talking about, and you cant do pistol squats. Why are you talking about this?
Personally I hold onto something and go down but not nearly as far as actual pistols. Like not even 90 degrees. Just a slight bend holding a dumbbell is great
Im 24 ive been doing pistols for 3 weeks 4-5 days out of the week, unbeable pain in my legs, i can't keep up with this.... I'll test out Bob's way i think it works better that way..i might be too heavy and causing too much stress, im 210 llbs 510
What about in a pool? One hand on the side of the pool? Half ROM? A orthopedic doctor said not to put pressure on my arthritic knee at a 90 degree angle or lower.
Is there some Evidence to support your opinion? I think you shouldnt generalize like that. In my opinion and experience, there are People who slowly progressed to pistols and possess the strength and mobility (unlike you, obviously) to do them safely.
They are physical therapists. They see patients every day, many of which are probably athletes. That’s all the evidence anyone needs. It’s better to listen to professionals instead of gym bros.
Pretty sure no one in the history of man has done a pistol properly and said " ow my back!" - there's so little load in your back it behooves me how these guys are considered educated Physios. The fact that he di a BRUTAL pistol with a round back and on his toes and DIDN'T get injured also shows me that there's little to no risk here...I can't trust someone who's obviously never done a good squat in his life.
I can't even do them. Not because my legs are too weak but my lower back literally won't let me get into the pistol squat deep enough. Levitation squats and one legged heel touches are what I substitute them with.
Thanks for pointing me towards levitation squats. They look promising and adaptable to different levels. I'll explore the heel touches too when I have time. I learn so much from B&B and also have fun. Now I'm learnikng from you too.
These guys lost me when they said the back had to be straight when performing the Pistol Squat. If it’s not a loaded squat then by all means ROUND YOUR BACK, it’s the right thing to do. The spindle is made to extend and flex, if it isn’t under load then round it, extend it, it’s good for you.
What is show here is a terrible form pistol squat. With any type of squat your weight should not be on your toes or your back curved. That said, pistol squats are not for everyone and are an advanced exercise. You need to be fit, have good mobility and strength. And it should be done with a good progression. Check out Squat University, they have a good video about it. I’m 39 and love to mountain bike, hike and other phyísical activities. I’ve had quite a few accidents and from personal experience, working on mobility and working out my balance muscles seems to have lowered my injury rate and kept me safe. This is all my own experience and learnings from working with experienced trainers. I don’t know if I’ll be doing pistol squats when I’m 50, if they ever stop feeling safe I’ll stop doing them. Bottom line: Don’t jump into pistol squats. Give it the respect it deserves. Progress into it once you have the proper mobility and do them with good form.
I have to join the chorus here: You form is trash, and that's why your joints are being put in compromised positions. Your argument isn't actually to not pistol squat; it's to not use improper form. Which is a pretty obvious, universal rule for any movement.
I think its a advance calisthenics exercise that requires a lot of strength and flexibility, so its not for everyone because it will only injure yourself. Nice vid subbed*
These guys are normally gold with their info, but way off the mark on this one. If you take the time to go through all of the proper progressions and master them, pistols are perfectly safe and a great move. They really encourage good ankle mobility ( you basically can't do them unless you up your ankle mobility game) which most westerners have terrible levels of, and poor ankle mobility is often a major factor in knee, hope, and back pain. The most perfect pistol is from El Eggs at Calimove. Good spinal position, good ankle mobility. The reason people get hurt doing them is rushing into the full version without really nailing the progressions.
I have a herniated disc and I really wanted to learn pistol squats and it took me time to accept the fact that I can’t. Every time I was practicing it I got back pain afterwards. As much as it’s a cool exercise and looks aesthetic they’re right it’s not a good one to do.
This seems to be more of a matter of bad form as opposed to the exercise being bad. Couldnt you just not round your lower back and not have the knee bend all the way and still do them?
Sounds like good advice for physical therapy in a geriatric ward! I kid, I kid. It makes an important point: You absolutely should not jump right in to advanced calisthenics moves without adequate preparation. But this idea that you can't do such and such movements if you're more than X number of years old...it's a just a pathetic excuse for allowing yourself to become basically a cripple, as virtually everyone does as a result of being sedentary, and we convince ourselves it's normal because it's so common. You don't have to do pistol squats, but the idea that it's impossible to do them without risking injury... Whether or not you ever want to do them, you should be working on improving your joints and mobility to point where you could do them safely. If you want to learn advanced calisthenics moves the proper way, in a way will that will strengthen all your joints gradually over the next year or two (the year will go by one way or another), I can't recommend Gymnastic Bodies enough. I'm almost 40, and I was starting to have nagging mild pain in my left shoulder and wrist... Now I have no pain and massively improved range of motion... I can do skin the cat and pushups on my wrists. And yes I do pistol squats. I find them to be extremely easy. The other advanced moves will take years of doing progressions though.
It's funny how they try to bash an exercise they're too weak to perform.
He never actually demonstrates a pistol squat. A proper pistol squat involves good control at the hip as well as the requisite mobility of the ankle joint. Bob demonstrates this by hanging off a pole in the bottom position.
Point is, people that do posses this ability to perform a pistol squat won't get hurt because all the muscles that co-ordinate the movement help align the patellar correctly, and keep their pelvis from rotating posteriorly.
The ones that get hurt simply don't belong in that position and have chosen the wrong single leg exercise to train.
I had the exact same thought when I saw Bob in that "pistol squat" position.
He also has his heel WAY off the ground in the bottom position, which puts the pressure on the knee he is referring to when demonstrating. Your heel should always be on the floor and chest up. There's nothing wrong with this squat when performed with correct form. However, most people DO NOT have the mobility needed to perform the pistol squat properly.
Looks like he's demonstrating a unilateral sissy squat? So they are advocating against sissy squats rather than pistol I'd assume
@@Phamine I'm not so sure they know what they're demonstrating to be honest. Context has to matter and the answer should always be "it depends".
It is impossible to keep the back straight or hold your knee in line, because you would lose balance and literally fall on your ass. No muscular strength can avoid that. Hence, this exercise forces you into bad ergonomics.
I have been doing pistols for 20 years and move just as well at 41 as I did at 20.
that's the goal. I'm 27.
Im 40
He’s doing pistol squat on toes idk about that
@@fufuzuzu2062 yep. Pains my own knee to watch that.
Hi jason. Just a general comment, not specificly to these squats. Warnings dont mean that all who do or use the dangerous thing, also get the consequences. Think of smoking. Lots live to old age and dye of other causes than lung cancer
Pistol squats are amazing. Your straight back explanation is hilarious. No one is doing pistols with 400lbs. Actually the whole point of pistol squats is relieving the constant stress of barbell squats on the back and be able to do them anywhere. No one carries weigjt with them everywhere. This is absurd. All olmpic lifters take their knees to end range constantly. Apperently their pt isbt worried about their knees
Thanks for saving me 8 mins dude, I just started doing these and they're too cool to stop
@@king0vdarkness no problem. They're not close to the best leg exercise but much better then barbells
@@tiagovazkez9356 is the best exercise for legs the Bulgarian split squat?
@@king0vdarkness I think so at least. I could barely do a pistol squat...started doing bulgarian split squats with dumbbells and now i can do pistol squats way more easily.
Bob and Brad: "We're too weak, inflexible, and uncoordinated to do it, SO IT MUST NOT BE SAFE FOR ANYONE!"
Guys, a proper pistol squat has the heel on the floor and the shin more vertical, and the back straight. You are straw-manning the pistol squat here.
who cares if the spine is bent. yoga positions have a bent spine element in them too. there is no heavy load on the spine!
Totally agreed these dudes have not the flexibility or the strength for such activities.
Exactly. your foot should be flat on the floor. No wonder your hurting yourself.
These two PTs are the biggest clowns I've ever come across
So much for devoting time to studying biomechanics huh?
Excellent well said, tis indeed a straw man argument. I expressed the same thing but with way too many words
I do pistol squats and im 48 and have very healthy kness.. you need mobility and strength
So true people just don’t get it
And pure dumb luck. People do dangerous and unhealthy things for their whole lives without consequence. That doesn't necessarily mean they did anything more properly than all the people who develop injuries, it's just luck.
@@camerontetz2011 don't disregard the hard work and effort that some of us put it to be able to do things others can't. It isn't "luck" it's intentional. If more people took the time to actually develop proper mobility and train their muscles to support them in those positions you would find its possible for anybody to do these things without "luck". This man's ankle mobility is atrocious, of course he cant do a propper pistol squat lol. Stop listening to 2 out of shape old men and type in "knees over toes guy" and watch his videos. Maybe take the training. 1 month in you'll change your tune. No such thing as luck.
@@EightyThreeG Listen, I too have seen that guy popping up all over the place. I feel very moved by his videos, as I'm sure you do too. They're very galvanizing, I feel very excited for the future of my knees and the future of my athleticism because of the things I'm learning from him. Still, that doesn't mean it isn't luck. You can still have unfortunate genetic limitations to your potential, it isn't uncommon. Pistol squats in the 40s doesn't sound unlikely, but but neither does inescapable loss of performance. I wouldn't say the odds are 50/50, because that's arbitrary and probably unfair, but I still want to count my blessings.
@@camerontetz2011 it is not luck, you have to progress thru flexibility of knees, ankles, and hips until you can do it very low. The knee over toes guy proved this, and even the very old who had trouble walking, can start at their lvl and progress until they are stronger and can walk better. Check him out. It's actually possible, no luck. Not saying everybody, but most people can do it.
I'm a PT myself and I would never recommend this exercise to any of my patients, not even athletes, not because the exercise is intrinsically dangerous, but because most people lack the necessary balance, strength and muscle control to perform it correctly. However, I don't see any reason why a sufficiently trained calisthenic athlete shouldn't perform them after a careful and gradual progression and after gaining the proper amount of strength and coordination. I believe they're actually an excellent exercise, possibly better and safer than normal weighted squats and I've learned to perform them myself properly (flat feet on ground, knee right above toe but not beyond). They can develop leg strength and balance to a degree two-leg squats cannot. Besides, concerns about spine flexion (yep, spine flexes slightly, so what? Spine is meant to flex and it's ok as long as back's unloaded) and excessive shear forces at the knee joint have recently been debunked by evidence.
thanks, this exercise seems very prone to injuring ourselves..I'm pretty fit but not flexible and I cannot do these without holding on to something.
When people do weird movements like this I always ask, is this really necessary, can another less risky exercise be used?
Other than showing off, I really don't see the point in doing something that is unnatural and has more cons than pros, am I right?
@@lotusgrl444 It definitely has more pro's than con's, but only if you're an elite calisthenics athlete with top balance and muscle control!
@@SB-qo3bf Thanks, thats totally not me. I'm doing a fitness regime to build muscle and they make it seem like this is a simple and straightforward move when really only a small percentage of the population can do it with proper form..Thank you!!
I will just do the bulgarian split squat..
btw, as a physical therapist, what is your view of leg extensions, I read that is another one where you need to employ proper form in order for it to do more good than harm...
@@lotusgrl444 Leg extensions are effective and safe, according up-to-date evidence, despite the bad rap. Gradual progression and loading are key :)
You are not supposed to bring your heel off the floor when doing them. THAT in and of itself will kill the knee! He didn’t have correct form while showing the issues - that will cause issues. I agree though - they are hard on the knee no matter what but it is way worse when your form is not correct, like he was showing with the heel off the ground!
The angle of the foot has no influence on the force that works on the knee. Important is the hip and torso position.
@@kasimirb5155 WRONG. The position of the foot affects knee drive. Knee drive affects the hips torso and the position of everything above it. These doctors can’t do a pistol squat correctly because they don’t have the ankle flexibility to keep the foot flat due to tight calves.
@@micahscott4024 No, it doesn't. The force on the knee remains (almost) the same, no matter whether you squat on your heels or on your toes (provided, you keep the same angle).
@@kasimirb5155 your wrong bro if your foot is more pointed your knee naturally becomes more stretched, not necessarily a bad thing by itself but the repetition is bad for your tendons when you don’t give them there proper rest, you should be doing them with the weight in the middle of the foot not the toes or the heel, this will allow you to sit back into them which is the intended form
@@kasimirb5155 You know not what you speak of. Foot position does influence the knee.
This is just my personal experience: I had bad knees (both injured at different times when I was around 20 years old, nothing serious though) would limp a bit, lost range of motion and every now and then I would re-injure when kneeling or rotating or something silly like that. I was afraid to do squats at all, eventually started doing them and after 3 months moved to pistol squats, now I'm 37 years old and my legs feel great, havent re-injured myself since the squating began and can kneel and sit on my heels like I used to. I do not know what will happen when I'm 55 or more but I think it's important to pay attention to form (on any exercise). I do not pistol squat with a curved back or on my toes! I bend and the hip and keep the heels on the ground! Anyway, happy new years guys, thanks for all the videos.
Yeah I agree with you and I also only do them only. when I’m fully rested. I went from working out 6x a week to only twice or once a week and have not lost any strength. Best rule is to listen and know your own body. Keep on keeping on!
@@twotime88 Had a similar experience with frequency. Used to work out almost everyday then went to 2-3 days a week and would still see progress. Nowadays I'm back at almost the whole week but because I split what I do and yeah if for some reason I feel extra tired or a bit weird I just skip that day or a particular exercise.
@@droidJV I feel your pain. I can relate to all of you on this. About 7 years ago I twisted my knee weird while getting out of my car. Didn’t think it was a big deal. Something changed that day though. Same issue where kneeling would do something terrible for it. 6 months later went to an Ortho. No tears or anything obvious on imaging. Still flares up here and there but same thing, I have to switch up what I do so I don’t aggravate it and that’s been working out fine. So annoying when your mind is ready to go but your knee doesn’t agree!!
@@hazelbotedapgonzalez6172 oh it still bothers you every now and then? dang I do think I'm kinda lucky, can't tell for sure if the squats where the miracle but having strong muscles (and being light in my case) probably helped a lot. Thanks for sharing! Take care.
I got runner's knee from doing barbell squats, actually. (Tendonitis in the tendon that connects to the top of the knee cap). I took a break from all squat-type exercises for 4 months then tried pistol squats only. So far so good. It's been like 6 months, I do pistol squats twice a week and me knees feel great.
Aren't your feet supposed to be flat?
I'm pretty sure they are supposed to be flat
Yeah your weight is absolutely supposed to be on your heels. He's on his toes every time 🤦🏼♂️
Agree...it supposed to simulate a regular squat on one foot. I believe the dostribution of stress will be different. Was hoping they could demonstrate the actual position so i know if its something i should stop😅
He is teaching you how to damage your body probably.
Those two alternatives are progressions to the full pistol squat. Not everyone will get there. As for longevity, I’ve seen elderly martial artists doing pistols while balancing on a post. But that’s a result of a lifelong pursuit. Train safe, train smart.
Just because you have anecdotal evidence of watching martial artists doing pistol squats doesn’t disprove the fact the movement puts the knee in a generally compromised position.
@@MikeystonetYou strengthen the area and you supplement for healthy joints so it doesn't happen. Also it's called knowing your limits. You unathletic bitter fools, stop being dumb!! And I'm saying this from someone that does pistol squats n my knees r better than most. If you don't use the muscles around it / the joint itself you will be weak when you try to use it or you will hurt yourself because you're over straining it cuz you didn't strengthen the area or the area is not used to that type of movement under pressure, area meaning joint and tendons etc
@@Mikeystonettrain your fucking knees, extremely outdated take
@@Mikeystonetknees over toes guy now prove this is much better for knee health vs the outdated theory that knees over toes hurt knees. The outdated theory have injured so many people unnecessarily.
@@Mikeystonet But the examples displayed in the video are comically bad. Why was he standing on his tippy toes? Why was his back unnecessarily rounded? It's obvious he lacked the coordination and agility to do the pistol squat and the bad things he pointed out about it are due to his own bad form.
Videos like this are why it’s dangerous that UA-cam removed a dislike button.
Pistol squats with hip internal rotation mobilization & glute strengthening exercises have pretty much completely fixed the patellofemoral pain I've had for years.
Your heel is up when you demonstrate the 'bad' squats but your heel is down when you do the 'recommended' single leg from the chair. In fact, your heel is already up on the "pistol" you demonstrate when you lower only at like 30°. Also, when someone does a deep squat (not on the toes but actually on the heels), the knee joint is not at end range. You can see this if you're seated: you can easily flex your knee past this point and to its actual end-range (even a knee-to-chest you can see the increased angle compared to the knee joint angle in a deep squat). You guys should know proper squat mechanics but being on your toes illustrates there is a gap in knowledge here. And the way you over flex your spine at the bottom.. just stop.
I started doing the hack squat recently but my view is that the heels shouldnt raise so that is your range of motion. My trainer had told me to keep my feet low and close and dont mind if the heels raise but the sensation ddint feel good on my knees. I use reverse bands now to lighten the weight at the bottom and have the feet high and wide, ill aim to edge them down over time.
Totally agree! His form was bad and that will cause knee issues for sure!! It puts all the force in the joint and not in the glute muscle where it belongs. I stopped listening at that point. They should know that that was not the correct form.
@@bethanybauk 💯👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
@@lmc4964 yes, definitely stay on the heels. there are multiple reasons why going onto the toes is bad (shearing stress on the knee, loss of energy through the kinetic chain, involving more joints, etc). if you're having a hard time staying on the heels, you may need more ankle or even hip mobility, you may not be able to go as low in your squat which is okay, and you can also try changing the width of your stance. good luck!
One key thing I don't see mentioned in the comments, is when you go up from the squat, you have to push with your *glutes* , not your knee. This is the same with regular (two legged) deep squats. The quads etc assist, but they *are not* and *should not* be the primary mover, especially near the bottom. I can say from my own experience that when I forget to engage the glutes properly, then my knees hurt after a deep squat. When I use my glutes, my knees are fine.
It has been mentioned by others that the heel must be flat on the ground. This is important for the overall posture and mechanics of the squat. But even more importantly, this provides a stable base for your glutes to push against. When you're on your toes, you're more than likely too wobbly for your glutes to do their job.
You absolutely *have to* train your ankle mobility first, learn to activate your glutes (mind-muscle connection), and learn to do regular deep squats in good form and using the glutes as the primary driver, before even considering the pistol squat. And then progress to them gradually, training your strength, balance, and ROM gradually, while making sure you maintain good form all along.
I've got to say, I tested pistol squats back when I wasn't ready just because I thought I was "strong enough" and almost wrecked my knee. I took my time moving really slow through progressions and I can really tell the difference. It's not even just a matter of strength, but mobility and coordination. Just take it very slowly, and build on it step by step. The example they showed on this video is not unlike what I tried to pull on the beginning, haha
Drinking water is also dangerous if you don't know how much is the limit. I guess you get my point.
Enjoy doing them while young. There's a reason why you don't see older people doing pistol squats.
I think it is important to understand and know your body’s ability and limitations. There are a lot of people who are able to perform this movement correctly and safely, while there are others that are not able to. However, for those who are not able to, it doesn’t mean that they will not be capable of doing so correctly and safely at all. In fact, if you take time and effort into taking baby steps, you will be surprise in what your body can do.
Certain limiting factors could be lack of flexibility, coordination, and / or restricted mobility at the hips, ankle, feet, and/ or a non active life style, or more.
With any exercise, it is crucial to take precaution and to not just jump right into it.
Don't say a pistol squat is bad for you when you yourself can't do one. He has no ankle mobility, his back is not strait, and his hips are very un-positioned. I've been doing them for 7-8 years and have achieved doing them with 50 lb. dumbbells in each hand and still have no pain.
I think this video is for the elderly😂
Man! Thats not the real pistol squat look like😂
Totally. Foot should be flat on the ground. Everything should be tense. Do that and the bottom position looks nothing like in this video. However, they got the back rounding part....kind of. They greatly exaggerate it.
@@trevbarlow9719they are fools that don't know what they're talking about and people assume they do because they got pieces of papers that says physical therapist and that's supposed to mean something🤣 people dumb asf
But the pistol squat form you're demonstrating is wrong. The knee doesn't push forward, it goes up towards your chest, and you keep your heel to the ground. Bad technique can lead to injury, but that's not solely due to the pistol squat being harmful.
I really like the work you two have done over the years and I know you're coming from a good place, but you may have overlooked a few things in this video.
You should never do pistol squats with that kind of form. Of course you’re going to injure yourself. You should have high flexibility throughout your ankle, legs and hips to perform this exercise correctly.
That's not a pistol squat. Most can't do it right ( like me) and so should not..
Feet flat.. good posture.. if you can't..don't.
At 50 (back working out for the last year after 25 years hiatus)…pistols really help injured knees, I think you’re off on this one for those of us who are trying to be athletes.
I have been doing pistol squats for a while without issue...until a few days back. I was too hasty, I wasn't in the mood that day, and knew I was ignoring correct posture but still kept going. Now my lower back is wrecked. Basically, just want to say, from personal experience, correct posture and form is everything.
It's not the exercise 💯💯
@@shanecorley4475 Way to completely miss the point. No, the exercise invites itself to poor posture and form, which is inherently risky.
@@grafzeppelin4069 I'll try to be nice, go touch grass.
@@shanecorley4475 yeah you should
Your form here doesn’t look too good, your back is curved and your heel is way off the ground. Maybe pistol Squatting with bad form is the culprit behind injuries rather than the exercise itself being the problem. Just a question that occurred to me while watching.
I knew this video would bring out some controversy about my form with my heal not being flat on the floor. I really appreciate the Pro Pistol squat peoples concern about this video, however, regardless of your heal being down for "proper form" or up - The weight bearing knee and low back experiences high stress at End range flexion which is increasing risk for injury. If you watch the whole video, I believe this is clarified. Thank you for watching and your feedback.
Have Healthy, Fit and Painfree 2021.
Yeah I still don't agree that they're bad. I know it's bad for YOU Bob/Brad because you can't actually do one. People with the appropriate mobilty and strength that can do this variation (unsupported) won't experience that high knee and back stress you refer to because the quads/Hams are strong enough to support the knee - the hip capsule is probably different to yours and the low back doesn't experience as much flexion because their femur doesn't smash into their acetabulum. Just show me guys, show me someone that can Actually do it AND gets hurt. I think your video on this subject matter should have explored what mechanics and traits are needed to do this exercise correctly and discussed some risk reward alternate exercise etc....
@@RC_FITNESS_ You are absolutely correct. There are no "BAD" exercises. You have to gradually progress to this level. The tissue will adapt to the loads we place upon it. The key is slow and gradual exposure and progression. It is rapid fluctuations in load or activity that cause injury. The talk about the back being at risk just because it is rounded is completely untrue as well.
@@mehab yeah agreed. One man's medicine is another man's poison. As stated earlier it really depends on the individuals motor control and movement potential ✌️
No, there is no "pro" pistol squat and "anti" pistol squat; there is pro-science and anti-science. This is an incorrect application of medical principles in this video and it's obvious: I showed this video to my ortho and she screamed. The bottom position is basically a one-legged Asian/Slav squat, which would also be extremely detrimental if one were resting on the balls of their feet like this.
Im 57, 6-5 hell bent and inspired to not only do a pistol squat, but to master. I have just completed the shriimp squat and am getting better at it. I think the Pistol Squat is a beautiful move, its body weight, and I dig it
to someone who can't do pistol squat properly without using any tool to help, instead using tools to do a full ROM pistol we can do a progression first to strengthen and work on mobility.. like working on normal squat and do rectus femoris exercises to strengthen and do full ROM calves raises for ankle mobility.
Some amazing insight! As a ballet teacher this really helps me broaden my knowledge. I used to be asked to this always by my teacher till I started to hurt my back and knees just as you said. Makes me realize some things I was doing while dancing professionally were not helpful at all.
Love your channel! Thank you again!
What looks good on stage might not be good for your body.
I think the foot on the supporting leg should be flat? Probably doesn’t make a difference. A very challenging exercise that doesn’t seem to bear fruit
It makes a HUGE difference! Takes force off the knee and transfers it to the glute.
No matter where you place your foot, the risk to reward ratio is not worth it
It's great! It has helped me stabilised my knees using the quads and hamstrings, but I can also do the splits easily, so your miles might vary. Don't push it if you can't do it
As a PT (personal trainer not a physiotherapist lol), the one thing that nobody disagrees about when it comes to building strength and mobility (yes, and also muscle mass) in a muscle group/joint/motion is *progessive overload.* You start off using light weights and gradually increase them as your body adapts to deal with the higher force requirements. This same principle also applies to ROM (range of motion). You start off using a limited range of motion (stopping when you feel pain) and build strength in that ROM (using a weight like Brad was doing on the chair). Then you decrease the weight as you progressively get into greater and greater ranges of motion (using the wall to assist you perhaps to get into deeper positions). Eventually, you build strength in those ranges of motion as well as the more traditional ranges of motion. As someone who can do 15 pistol squats per leg, my knees aren't taking maximum force in end range of motion. This is because they are only taking my full bodyweight at end range of motion while in a more limited range of motion (on a leg press) they can do 3x my bodyweight for reps or 1.8x my bodyweight on a back squat (to below 90 degrees).
If I did pistols like that, I totally believe I would have injured myself long ago. If you can't keep your feet flat, you're not ready for pistols.
4:04 When you do a pistol squat, you are supposed to keep the entire foot on the ground, including the heel, that's why your knee is so much forward.
If you cant keep the entire hell on the ground when you perform these, you should slowly progress, until you you can get it right
2:07 I disagree with that. I've been training hells off floor and knees fully bent far over toes movement including loaded squats. I haven't experienced any pain and I've become much stronger in my legs and confident in them
Risk reward is the key fact here , it is a good exercise but is a risky exercise , Bulgarian split squat is a less risk/good reward exercise
I gradually progressed from 5 pistol squats in a row to 65kg zercher barbell pistol squat for 2 reps.
your back will not be completely straight, but your back will not be injured because your back also gets stronger while you progress!
Good grief, guys. Brad had AWFUL form in his demonstration. You're not supposed to get your knee that far forward at the bottom of the squat, my guy.
I mean, sure... Every exercise can be detrimental if you don't bother to do it correctly.
Bulgarian Split Squat is best leg workout
no
And so challenging 😓
People commenting about his form are missing the point. At 2:08 his premise: Putting a joint at end range with max force increases risk of injury. They also mentioned risk/benefit ratio, and I’m totally fine with the potential risk involved.
i used to be able to do a pistol squat from the floor, on my butte, one legged out, no arms....
now i cant even get off the floor
my dad made us boys do squats for punishment..we were also worldclass athletes.. he got tired of spanking us.. our knees are shot now.. dont do them until youre 40 or older.. preferably never
im not blaming my dad..he was trying to do the best for us and was tired of spanking us daily..we deserved it.... we still would have preferred the spankings ahahhaah
agree you should ease into these: build hip mobility, lots of leg strength, fortify your VMO, build a good deep squat that you can comfortable sit in, start doing them with assistance (hold a bar, TRX, etc) but if you do it right pistol squats are an amazing exercise for strength and mobility
This is a bit incomplete and misleading guys. Brad’s ankle ROM is an issue. There shouldn’t be strain on the knee or the lower back if your following the correct progression of your squat. If you can’t squat correctly (with your feet flat, knees opened out while your first ray is still pointing forward) you obviously can’t pistol. Being barefoot is the place to start if your squat is off. Then strengthen your glutes. If your feet, ankles and butt are working correctly, your knee won’t be strained. It may take some work and time. Squat University on IG is a solid resource.
Yeah, but to get that 'correct form' with a pistol squat is damned near impossible. Most people will need to round their back to achieve balance.
Better option is a move in DDPY called 'crashing airplane', which is almost the same except you're leg is resting on the knee. Works the same core muscles, and works on balance without putting that knee at risk, plus you have to have proper back alignment to do it at all. Try it and see!
You guys are right IF you do them incorrectly like you two are showing 😅. The correct way is to keep the back straight, keep the knee in the middle of the foot, and keep your foot flat on the floor.
First to like and comment, but that's a single's life on New Year's Eve.
Happy New year to you too Spunky Cat
Me too Chooky hope you still had fun though
My two cents is, when you do the pistol just make sure you are not loading too much on your knee all throughout your descent. You gotta feel for it and try to direct tension toward your hip every 10 degrees or so to make sure not too much burden is being placed on the knee.
Thank you for the feedback. This obviously is not my favorite exercise at 59 years for the reasons in the video, but perhaps I can change. :) Brad
@@BobandBradY'all should retouch on the topic and correct yourselfs, couldnt even watch past 2 minutes Y'all talking out your asses trying to twist studies for your narrative smh I know The medical field's been politicized but man you don't got to act like politicians😂
Having a rounded back is fine and far from detrimental. The only time this would be an issue is if you would bearing load by adding weights. The fact that you cannot properly demonstrate it says a lot.
Happy New Year! Keep it up guys you are my favs. Love ya.
I can do pistol squats, my mobility is great, but there is still tons of stress on the joint if you don't push off your heels more and keep your knees from going over your toes. Still a high stress movement and sometimes just better to do more reps with something else. That said still a wayyyy better risk-reward over barbell squat lol
At 22, I built up to the point where I could do 30 pistol squats on each leg. I used to show off. One day, mid-squat, I felt a terrible pain tear through my knee. I’m significantly older now and that knee has never been the same. I can’t even do regular squats anymore. My other knee hurts, too. Sure, my form probably sucked when I got injured. But why take the risk when there are so many safer options?
Countries where they tend to sit ass to grass or poop in that position do not have problems with their knees.
Yes, there are many safer options. Even with proper form, this exercise causes me pain. I now only do goblet squats, lunges and skater squats. No pain with those and my legs are getting bigger and stronger. Sorry to hear about your knee.
The problem is with this exercise, because of the strain it can cause, you don't want to do too many repetitions. You want to work efficient with your reps, it's best to start off with pistol squats first before you get all the lifting done
Nobody comes on their toes and exaggerates the knee past the foot to that extent, Dooood. Idk, personally I include either pistols or Bulgarian split squats each workout and feel more than fine. 32 years old, been training for years. I do know they're bad for ur knees if u don't have the strength to perform them with control and execute decent form, that's why you build up muscle and tendons etc oer time before you attempt that a more advanced type movement. Also, those dudes don't even lift, fuck outta here with those degrees dawg, shiiiit
Yeah, my knees hurt just thinking about pistol squats. Sissy squats are bad news too....
Sissy squats caused me an injury last February which I’m still dealing with. Wish I knew beforehand
Your just not strong enough
Kneesovertoeguy has entered the chat....
@@keyser_söze23 lol, what ?
@@n.g.s1mple29
Knees Over Toes Guy, is an amazing channel where he concentrates on development of the entire leg & lower back.
His content is gold, rather unlike these two clownshoes.
Although you are supposed to keep your heel on the floor when you do pistols, I'll admit keeping your back straight is exceedingly difficult, as it pulls your center of gravity back and makes it even harder to not fall backward...that said, these days i tend to prefer the variation known as shrimp squats over pistol squats.
I do have the 3 points of contact when i pistol squat. In fact, I taught myself to do it in a single day BY keeping the back straight AND keeping the whole foot on the ground. I felt like the person who invented the pistol squat didn't know what they were doing, because I taught a woman how to do it, exactly like me, in about 10 minutes. I was pausing and repping them too, on that first day.
Start in the bottom position by sitting, then getting up and balancing. It's literally like riding a bike. Now, if you're overweight, or have never squatted with any weight, no promises.
As a big of fan of Bob and Brad, I disagree with this video. I’m PTA and massage therapist myself. I am also calisthenics athlete. This is misleading, because yes, how Brad is doing a pistol squat is a 100 per cent a way to get injured. And for the average person who is very limited in ankle and hip Mobility, especially when they’re 40 plus, it won’t happen. As a 34 year old, who useeeed to have knee problems I do not anymore because I worked on mobility and strength that moved me towards a pistol. It’s a long road and there are a lot of steps, but your knees will feel impressively strong if you do it the right way and you’re not toooo old…. And it should never feel painful. Keep the videos coming though, mad respect.
U guys r wrong on this big time. What u r not considering is that just like any exercise u must progress to doing it to its full ROM and doing it right. A pistol correctly is with ur foot staying flat at all times(demands flexibility n mobility in Achilles tendon n calf muscles) and back flat at 45 degrees with a possible very minor rounding since we all have diff limb lengths and torso lengths which pose challenges to keeping certain angles on certain exercises. U begin by practicing sitting on something that u can stand back up from about 3 to 5 times minimum but 10 reps ideally as reps equal more practice. Then when it's easy u drop down to suttin lower and so on and so forth. Over time the practice builds all necessary things(tissues and nervous system) to be able to handle the movement..... yes even when ur all the way down Rock bottom and paused. It called S A I D(Specifc Adaptation To Imposed Demand). U guys should know better than to spew such ignorance
FYI, the gymnast who held weights was cheating. The hardest part of a pistol is the crunch at the bottom, which has to be super tight in order to tilt your torso forward to counter you from falling backwards. When holding weights, this does that for you. It looks impressive to onlookers maybe, but anyone who's done proper pistols knows this is a trick.
Squats and deadlifts make my knees ache 🤕 every time!
Started doing step-ups with no weight and my knee is pain free and feeling great again!
I used to hit pistols all the time, debating on bringing them back. Except muscle-ups, I think you can’t go wrong with calisthenics. Just takes time to learn mobility and gradually increase the weight
People in the comments gotta calm down. Bob and Brad are right about the high risk of injury a full pistol squat implies, especially the one done in the video on the tip toes to the lowest position. Biomechanicly, if you squat on the tip toes the force on the knees is much greater, and full ROM maximizes knee compression force. You all are right saying lack of mobility and coordination are the common limiting factors when we normally try a pistol squat, and when we progress gradually and prepare our body we can conquer a lot of movements and do them safely. But they are not denying all this, they are stating that a knee that has to hypeflex and bear the maximum compression force everyrep will degrade faster than a knee that doesn't do that, and you may prefer doing bulgarian split squats, box pistol squats or other single leg exercises that are not so hard on the knees. Man, this video is so right in some concepts and people are throwing shit at them no stop. Besides, most people have back and knee conditions and they don't know about them. How many people you know who complained about their joints? Forcing a joint with an issue like an asymptomatic meniscal tear, a light knee tenginopathy or it syndrome, pattella maltraking...(whatever you want) to progress a pistol may fuck that knee more. Plenty of exercises who are safer.
Thank you for the well-thought-out response. It is a great exercise for some but not the average person, especially over 50. I wish you well. Brad
@@BobandBrad Thank YOU for doing videos that educates us and keep us safe. I feel this video especially because I suffered a pretty bad tear in the medial meniscus (had to get a partial menikscectomy) progressing an assisted pistol.
P.D: If I had known you would read the comment I would have used a more polite vocabulary 😂. I sweared a lot.
Last year I did this and I got lower back pain still now and I'm 24
I think yes they are right, but only applies if you are weak at squats. Cus you are not used to the load, especially at the full range, you could get injured easily. But not for seasoned or strong leg individuals. The key here is progressive load. Work on the eccentric pistol squat first if you are struggling with the contraction part.
I had patella tendinitis surgery last year and struggled to strengthen the muscles around my knees for a long time afterwards. The best exercises I found was Hack Squats as well as Sissy Squats on the Hack Squat Machine, and always done with little or no weight. I feel more uncomfortable pressure on my knees with barbell squats then I do with these. But I can’t say I would recommend doing it single legged, that would be far too much pressure.
Great video, boys! I'm not a fan of pistol squats either. They're the epitome of the "harder equals better" mistake that many people make. Sometimes harder is just harder with no actual increase in value. I liked your modifications too!
So the problem is that you are not doing a excellent pistol squat there. I train pistol squats 2 times a week with nearly perfect Form, straight back, heels flat and the right coordination. I am also able to do them with weights so far my best is 20kg*8 but I have to say that I really enjoy this exercise so that 6 warm up sets and 3 working sets on each leg is no problem for me. I start with 0 weights 2sets, 5kg 2sets,10kg 2sets,15kg, 18kg and 20kg. The problem is that you lack on everything you need for a good pistol: ankle mobility, bad coordination, bad mind muscle connection, no breathing, your hamstrings are too tight so that a straight back isn't possible and overall you lack on posture. Pistol squats are a high class exercise, every session you have to perfectionize your technique I myself needed only 2sessions to do like 5 of them but it took me like 20+ sessions to really perfectionize the technique, which is equal to nearly 4000 pistol squats. Months ago I had problems with my knee, hamstrings, quads and calves everything was messed up I ruined my legs because of hip shift in the back squat. Pistol squats helped me to balance my body since I perfectionized the technique I don't have any knee problems anymore. But yes it's a dangerous exercise, you can't just go up and down, you have to be one with your leg and everything has to match up with the other leg.
Pistol squats rehabilitated my knees and I’ve never had a knee problem since I implemented them in my training
Just started incorporating these into my home workout it’s about good form if your form is off u can definitely injure yourself u gotta progress with it u can hurt yourself doing any exercise if your no proficient enough or haven’t progressed a bit
I do pistols, at the tender age of 61. They're done WITH THE HEEL ON THE GROUND! With the heel lifted, as in your demonstration, yes, the knee is at a very acute angle. That is bad form, and any movement done with poor form can be dangerous.
The back is not loaded on the pistol squat.
They need mobility... and balance... exercises. :)
But it's true... don't do pistol squats like this.
If you don't have enough mobility try doing in elevated on a box for example.
Goodness guys. Learn how to do a proper pistol squat. The way you’re doing them is WRONG and guaranteed to cause injury. Do them right they’re an amazing body weight exercise.
Notice that at 3:39, as Bob is demonstrating a pistol squat position, his R heel is OFF the floor. This is NOT how to do a pistol squat. Pistol squats (and full regular squats using both legs) are completed with the heel of the active leg(s) in contact with the floor at all times. This requirement "forces" you to keep your lower back in alignment in order to maintain balance through the whole motion.
Bob rarely ever has the ability to demonstrate "bad exercises" properly. That's generally why he thinks they're bad.
But I love pistol squats and I thought putting your joints under stress was the best way to strengthen them if your not getting injured ?
This makes sense. I hate pistol squats anyway, it just isn't a natural movement.
I am 52 and I still do full range motion pistol squat. However, I run backward and climb stairs backwards. but I keep my foot flat on the ground
Guys, when you do a pistol squat you keep your heel down.
You have no idea what you are talking about, and you cant do pistol squats. Why are you talking about this?
Personally I hold onto something and go down but not nearly as far as actual pistols. Like not even 90 degrees. Just a slight bend holding a dumbbell is great
I have been working my out knees over toes and my knees have never felt better
Im 24 ive been doing pistols for 3 weeks 4-5 days out of the week, unbeable pain in my legs, i can't keep up with this....
I'll test out Bob's way i think it works better that way..i might be too heavy and causing too much stress, im 210 llbs 510
What about in a pool? One hand on the side of the pool? Half ROM? A orthopedic doctor said not to put pressure on my arthritic knee at a 90 degree angle or lower.
Is there some Evidence to support your opinion? I think you shouldnt generalize like that. In my opinion and experience, there are People who slowly progressed to pistols and possess the strength and mobility (unlike you, obviously) to do them safely.
They are physical therapists. They see patients every day, many of which are probably athletes. That’s all the evidence anyone needs. It’s better to listen to professionals instead of gym bros.
Why are you lifting your heel off the ground while doing pistols?
Pretty sure no one in the history of man has done a pistol properly and said " ow my back!" - there's so little load in your back it behooves me how these guys are considered educated Physios. The fact that he di a BRUTAL pistol with a round back and on his toes and DIDN'T get injured also shows me that there's little to no risk here...I can't trust someone who's obviously never done a good squat in his life.
I can't even do them. Not because my legs are too weak but my lower back literally won't let me get into the pistol squat deep enough. Levitation squats and one legged heel touches are what I substitute them with.
Thanks for pointing me towards levitation squats. They look promising and adaptable to different levels. I'll explore the heel touches too when I have time. I learn so much from B&B and also have fun. Now I'm learnikng from you too.
How is it important to keep your back straight when the back isn't even loaded?
And challenging the knees is kind of the point...
I have partial knee replacements in both knees. Watching this made them hurt all over again. Thanks for showing some alternatives.
Getting strong with this callisthenics exercise guarantees one will not have leg problems your whole life as they give functional strength
These guys lost me when they said the back had to be straight when performing the Pistol Squat. If it’s not a loaded squat then by all means ROUND YOUR BACK, it’s the right thing to do. The spindle is made to extend and flex, if it isn’t under load then round it, extend it, it’s good for you.
This is not correct pistol squat form being displayed. This form obviously would injure anybody.
I would THINK using a suspension trainer like a TRX would be good too.
What is show here is a terrible form pistol squat. With any type of squat your weight should not be on your toes or your back curved.
That said, pistol squats are not for everyone and are an advanced exercise. You need to be fit, have good mobility and strength. And it should be done with a good progression. Check out Squat University, they have a good video about it.
I’m 39 and love to mountain bike, hike and other phyísical activities. I’ve had quite a few accidents and from personal experience, working on mobility and working out my balance muscles seems to have lowered my injury rate and kept me safe.
This is all my own experience and learnings from working with experienced trainers. I don’t know if I’ll be doing pistol squats when I’m 50, if they ever stop feeling safe I’ll stop doing them.
Bottom line: Don’t jump into pistol squats. Give it the respect it deserves. Progress into it once you have the proper mobility and do them with good form.
I couldn't get in those positions if I wanted to and I don't want to.😜😂
I have to join the chorus here:
You form is trash, and that's why your joints are being put in compromised positions. Your argument isn't actually to not pistol squat; it's to not use improper form. Which is a pretty obvious, universal rule for any movement.
Thank you I have back pain history and I was trying it.
I think its a advance calisthenics exercise that requires a lot of strength and flexibility, so its not for everyone because it will only injure yourself.
Nice vid subbed*
For most of human history the position for excetion was this pistol squat
I’m pretty sure our ancestors didn’t balance on one leg while doing the business.
We have guys in the 60s plus years still doing pistol squat and no issue
If you're at a normal , healthy bodyweight then full range of motion pistols squats are the best leg exercise .
I'm 65 but can squat only when I do a gradual warm up.
These guys are normally gold with their info, but way off the mark on this one. If you take the time to go through all of the proper progressions and master them, pistols are perfectly safe and a great move. They really encourage good ankle mobility ( you basically can't do them unless you up your ankle mobility game) which most westerners have terrible levels of, and poor ankle mobility is often a major factor in knee, hope, and back pain. The most perfect pistol is from El Eggs at Calimove. Good spinal position, good ankle mobility. The reason people get hurt doing them is rushing into the full version without really nailing the progressions.
I have a herniated disc and I really wanted to learn pistol squats and it took me time to accept the fact that I can’t. Every time I was practicing it I got back pain afterwards. As much as it’s a cool exercise and looks aesthetic they’re right it’s not a good one to do.
Just because it's not working out for you, doesn't mean it's bad for everyone. Godspeed
This seems to be more of a matter of bad form as opposed to the exercise being bad. Couldnt you just not round your lower back and not have the knee bend all the way and still do them?
Sounds like good advice for physical therapy in a geriatric ward!
I kid, I kid. It makes an important point: You absolutely should not jump right in to advanced calisthenics moves without adequate preparation.
But this idea that you can't do such and such movements if you're more than X number of years old...it's a just a pathetic excuse for allowing yourself to become basically a cripple, as virtually everyone does as a result of being sedentary, and we convince ourselves it's normal because it's so common.
You don't have to do pistol squats, but the idea that it's impossible to do them without risking injury... Whether or not you ever want to do them, you should be working on improving your joints and mobility to point where you could do them safely.
If you want to learn advanced calisthenics moves the proper way, in a way will that will strengthen all your joints gradually over the next year or two (the year will go by one way or another), I can't recommend Gymnastic Bodies enough. I'm almost 40, and I was starting to have nagging mild pain in my left shoulder and wrist... Now I have no pain and massively improved range of motion... I can do skin the cat and pushups on my wrists. And yes I do pistol squats. I find them to be extremely easy. The other advanced moves will take years of doing progressions though.