How to Get Your First PISTOL SQUAT (Step-by-Step Progression)
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- Опубліковано 2 чер 2024
- Here is my progression for mastering the pistol squat. In the strength game we often forget about training on single leg because we spend so much time working on improving our numbers on the main core lifts: the squat, deadlift, clean and snatch. In doing so it is easy to unknowingly develop weakness in some areas of our body. Challenging yourself with single leg squats can illuminate any deficits you have. Not only that, performing single leg activities will work on balance. Every athlete needs to work on balance.
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While not everyone can go straight to the full pistol squat, a touchdown single leg squat can be a great early stage single leg movement that gives the same great benefits. By starting small and progressing appropriately, we can see a dramatic change in the ability to control the knee. In order to do this we will use a small box or a weight plate. Starting with a lower surface, we can then work our way up to a full pistol squat.
Start by using a 4-inch box. If you’re at the gym, you can stack 2 weighted plates on top of each other. Assume a single leg stance on top of the box or plates. From this position, drive your hips backwards and bring your chest forward. This movement allows you to engage your posterior chain. If you do this correctly you should feel slight tension in your glute and hamstring muscles. Bringing your chest forward while driving the hips back will bring you into a balanced position with your bodyweight over the middle of your foot.
By keeping the knee in line with your foot, squat down until your opposite heel gently taps the floor before returning back to the starting position. If you are doing this exercise correctly you will feel your butt muscles working hard after a few reps. You should not feel any pain or stiffness in your knees.
When you’re performing this exercise, try to keep your shin as vertical as possible. Allowing the knees to slide forward too soon will increase the pressure on the joint and the susceptibility of cave in. Eventually the knee will have to move forward as the depth of the single leg squat increases. However, there should be little forward movement of the knee during this initial small box.
As the 4-inch box becomes easier and easier, increase the difficulty by moving to a higher box or adding more weights. A higher box will demand more control from the knee. Eventually the end goal will be to perform a full pistol squat with good technique.
If you need help with the needed ankle mobility to perform a full pistol, check out this video: • Top 3 Ankle Mobility E...
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Hey !
I've been watching most of your videos on Hipflexor strain and impengment, due to me having some hip pain while and after sumo deadlifting.
I have pain on the outside of the hip more towards my glutes and outer thigh, I feel this when walking and sometimes during rotation. I've done all the tests but none of them hurt, not while squatting or thomas test. What could cause this ? I've had some problems with my ischias nerve in the past, but this time I feel no lower back pain.
Could it be an inflamation or are there any more tests ?
Thanks, you're videos are very informative and helpful, appreciate it a ton !
I think my ligaments are TOO flexible to be able to do a pistol squat. I could in the bottom of a pistol squat, with my butt touching my ankle and the floor no problem. All day.
with my overpronation feet is extremely challenging to keep my knee straight, knee bends medially. how can I practice the knee position? tried barefoot and footwear with support and no progression. it is so frustrating practicing for over a month and no progression with my knee position.
Thank you for great videos. .
i don’t know how he is going but
I can only do pistol squat with my left leg. So frustrating, right leg is too weak, I'm going to get a refund from my parents.
Good idea make sure you did not throw out the receipt
🤣
Make sure in your normal squat you don't have a hip shift/ one side being able to get lower than the other. That affects the pistol squat and how one side has more stability than the other.
I just went for it with my right leg during a PE lesson and nailed it. Haven't done sports for years
Fr anti vegan ?
Thank you! I've been practicing for 3 weeks and I've successfully completed my goal! Cheers! Hope to whoever wants to do this completes their goal 😊
Did you train everyday or every other day ?
yeah.. like u didnt do a ton of strength exercise already.
Everyday?
Dude I can't do it at all.. haven't trained yet, though. I hope I can get the hang of it. I don't have the extra weights to pile on top of each other yet, though.
To attempt a succesful pistol squat:
- Must have: ankle mobility
- Must train: coordination so you learn how to keep your body stable trhough the movement (hardest) and strength to actually lift you up from the floor with your legs (mostly attainable)
Great video, it helped me a lot ✌
That's weird the lowering part is harder for me
the hardest part is having strength to get back up. i can do 1-2 but after that i cant get back up :(
Descent is hardest for me too
@@mammi7699 that’s most likely your ankle mobility
Also hip flexor strength to keep your leg straight out in front. My leg just can’t keep straight and it’s not due to lack of hamstring mobility.
Gonna make this my quarantine goal!
Same!! and increasing pull ups to 10
Same👍
Same
me too
Oh yeah baby, thank you Corona!
A tip: First check if you can simply balance yourself for a few seconds in the lowest pistol squat position, i.e., on one foot with the other extended out in front but not touching the ground. If you can’t stay comfortably balanced in this position, just practice doing that first.
I've been trying to do pistol squats unsuccessfully for a few years, after this video I was able to do my first pistol squat on the first day of trying. Thank you so much for making this video 😁.
Boomer
@@marcoratto4632 bruh
@@marcoratto4632 lmfaooo why
Sheeeeesh
Literally impossible
How have I been lifting for 8+ years and NEVER heard of how ankle mobility?! This is such a brilliant video and so helpful, thank you!
If your knee bothers you on the squat (especially with a relatively vertical torso), it may be a lack of ankle mobility.
I just started lifting but prior to this I was mainly a yoga head. I can confirm that flexibility/mobility is a HUGE advantage to weightlifting. I'm glad I learned it prior to weightlifting! It makes things feel much more intuitive.
I think you just improved my squat massively with that ankle stretch. I’ve been squatting for two years with limited ankle mobility.
The pistol squat is honestly so much more difficult than it looks.
As a guy who has done weighted Pistol Squats for years... THIS WAS AWESOME!! I want to see more people able to do these things. THANK YOU!!
I can do a few but I get low back pain on the opposite side of the leg I'm using. Any tips for that? I have to do pistol squats for a sit spin in figure skating.
Who else is trying to learn this cause they think it's looks cool?
Humble brag here. All intense skateboarders can do this movement.
@@euminkong I could always do this. I discovered I could at a very young age when my dad said he could do it when he was younger and I tried it and did it right away. I can still do it.
That hip hinge was pretty much why I couldn't do this once I practiced that I progressed fast, thanks for the quality explanation.
This is the only sensible tutorial I've found on UA-cam, all the other UA-cam tutorials are from people who were born with good ankle mobility - so they don't actually understand the hurdle of ankle mobility and they just talk about strength and basic technique aspects only. This video is a one size fits all tutorial. Everyone can do what's in this video 👏👏👏
You have the best demonstrations on how to accomplish and properly execute all of the important lifts and exercises on the internet. Thank you.
Nice! This is awesome! This has always been a goal but I've had no idea how to work up to it - so thrilled to have it broken down into achievable stages!!! Thanks :)
I am a decent athlete and have really worked on these over the years and have helped a lot of my lower body movements and balance obviously.
Great video. I've been trying to get a pistol for ages with little to no progress and always reaching a certain point in the progression and them failing and never knowing why. Doing this over the past month I've never been closer! Thanks Doc
EXCELLENT video my friend I wish I'd had seen this when I restarted my training last spring during Lockdown - as then 55 yr old - I USED to do these ONLY on left leg but with hands in "prayer" position - and wanted to be able at my age to FINALLY do both legs - which I can do now - going to start doing your method on my weak leg next session - thanks for posting. Now try the 'prayer' (actual salute - one hand fist and the other a shield like position) position one we used to do in our kung fu class as kids! Again GREAT video thanks.
You're genius, your knowledge and way of conveying it is pure gold!
You've earned a Big like from me, I was missing the hinging part of the squat, and I was struggling. Thank You very much
Hinging part?
There’s so much value to your videos! Thanks again 🙏🏻
This is like the best video I’ve seen for pistol squats.
omg my knee cap felt like it was gonna fly across the room lol .
😂
Haha, you have to start light and progress slowly!
😄😄
😆
Best tutorial of this I’ve seen on UA-cam, thanks!
I'm a KC native too, love your channel! Really the greatest content you can find.
Dude you're the best! Great progression thru the movements! Easy to grasp, now just gotta do it!
Always wanted to master this and never knew how. Thank you. Adding to my workouts!!
Thank you, nice tutorial! Also good that you explained why one should not learn it holding onto something. I will now practice and look forward to making progress!
Great explanation of the basics and the progression to the final squat, thank you! Keep up the good work!
Yes! Thank you for making this video! I have been wanting to learn pistol squats but wasn't sure where to start. This helps so much!
You're welcome!
This was so satisfying to watch in terms of progressions haha. Great vid! I'll be trying them out. I could do pistol squats before lockdown, at least one half assed version of it from having squatted a lot but now I gotta get back to that and this progression seems much better one to follow!
Absolutely awesome, looks doable. Thanks a ton, Coach!
I’ve wanted to try pistol for a while after seeing all the vids on insta because it looks fun. They make it look so easy and smooth so I looked up pistols , found this vid, and followed along and wow I didn’t realize how difficult it is and you’re directions helped because your warm up made it easier to do. Going to be doing your warm up from now on thank you 👏
Great video, showed examples from different angles. Explained reason for each example. Showed final product. You are a great teacher!
This was very helpful and informative. Thank you. I have had issues with achilles tendonitis in the past. When I squat down to the floor, my heels always come off the ground. This just helped me realize I need to work on my ankle mobility.
You help me understand how to do this exercise by breaking down everything from scratch ❤️
Awesome step by step video.... Can't wait to get after it!!
This exercise looks easy when first seeing it, then reality sets in when as a novice attempting this move.
Wow! Brilliant teaching!! This is doable! Thank you!!
Legit amazing videos! Props!
Amazing! That is such a perfect explanation and technique. Thank you!
Omg I finally did it.By using these techniques, I managed to do it.Thank you soo much 😃
Excellent content! Thank you brother 🙏🏼♥️
Thank you. Your video cleared my confusion a lot. From now on I can try your method.
Thanks dear
Sincerely useful…
Effective & simple
Straight to the point 🎉
Like this progression and glad you touched on ankle mobility, often one of the most overlooked parts of people's training programs. I generally start the basic heel touch/tap downs with the extended leg already forward as I find clients will sometimes cheat that movement where the heel is touching to the side/behind them and don't actually move into the hip and knee properly as they lower but also don't create the proper drive from the floor to get back to the top. Still a great explanation though! 👌 I also find having clients practice single leg sit to stands (unassisted!!, no TRX or rings etc. as you mentioned) can be a good addition to learning the pistol squat to help learn how to drive leg power and reinforce stability requirements for the whole foot-knee-hip chain.
Thanks Doc ! I wish you a very Happy New Year
Super helpful. Thanks
Excellent instruction and progression methods, just brilliant, thank you!!
Excellent! Thank you for those tips.
This video is great. Used a lot of these cues tonight in class. Thanks!
this helped me learn it in less than a week! awesome stuff, thanks!
Awesome video! Thank you
This is an amazingly informative video. Thanks 🙏🏾 for your awesome instruction and hard work.
I'm 6'2, 245 in a bulk training for this as my main leg main movement using increasing and decreasing block height to program for intensity for the last 3 or so months. I haven't achieved it yet but I I'm getting stronger and deeper all the time and you wouldn't believe how much my legs are growing.
You have so many golden nuggets of knowledge. Thanks for your videos.
Thank you.... with your tips and exercise mode I'm managing to learn a magnificent squat pistol
Wow! I'm so glad I found this. Got many useful pointers. Thankyou :)
Thank you so much for the high qual vid. Helped me so much 🎯🙏
Working like a dream, thank you
Thank You for everything Sir. Happy New Year!!
You're welcome!
Thank you so much for the progression how-to to learn my pistol squat correctly!! My goal in the next month!
Thank you much, I've really wanted to learn pistol squat but I didn't know how to try it. I'll try it. I'm so excited😍🙏🙌
Great video tutorial. The pointers in the notes are even better. I need to concentrate on starting with my butt out and shin vertical.
This is SO helpful!!!!! I've watched many vidos on pistol squats but this one is definitely te best one for me!! Thank you so much!!
This is one of my goals for 2020, great timing! Thanks for the content!
GrayAS have you got it yet?
done?
Did you get it tho?
Finally a video with info on how to work on mobility!!
Question: the 2nd step, touch downs, how many per leg and how many reps? Thank you
Hi sir, and Happy New Year, this vid helped me a lot, I remember watching this way back in May 11, 2023 and I achieved my good form (straight leg) pistol squat just this December!, I have no equipment but I progressed from stair, to my bed, my bed with swing, and floor. I was inconsistent. I almost gave up but I achieved it! I'm looking forward to increasing my reps this year 2024 since my life right now is more stable than last year...
Best progression I've seen
Love the progression and def makes sense!
Dr. its really helps me a lot thanks
Super, thank you for yours suggestions, Iwill try again this way,
the most helpful video of the last hour and a half. Thank you
Thank you! You make it look easy, but they're difficult to do!
Super! Much appreciated.
Yo thanks again for another epic episode.
I can get a dip squat with weight on me but the moment that the weight is gone I can't break the 90 degrees.
Totally going to train that to boost up my squats
great video! I applaud your suggestion of learning the balance of single leg squatting. not using an aid for balance. I'm going to teach this to my athletes.
Excellent presentation, thank you !
Great video Exactly what I needed to hear.
That is quite smart and creative way to get used to 1 leg squat. I will definitely try that.
The best tutorial on youtube. Thanks man.
Love your work!!🔥🔥🔥
this build up process is great. thanks!
Thank you so much for this ❤️
Thank you so much. I was trying to do pistol squats but the form was not good. Now I can build the form properly.
omg, thank you SO MUCH for this!! I was progressing towards pistol squat with the Thenics app - a great app I can recommend to anyone getting into Calisthenics. However, I was stuck and couldn't figure out why - I had all the strength necessary and already thought it'd be something rather technical and so I was searching on UA-cam. 5 sets of the ankle stretches and BOOM, I did my first two pistol squats!! This is what was missing!! Thanks so much
So solid.. great video.. nobody can fail by doing this...
Thank you for this! I have never been able to do a pistol squat until today. All I had to do is get the mechanical movement right.
Thank you for this video. Very helpful!
These things are brutal! I do a lot of cycling and have been wanting to increase my sprint power. These seems like the ideal exercise to do just that. But as fit as I am on the bike, I've got nothing in the strength department anymore. I can't even knock out one of these. Just feel off balance.
Best tutorial on youtube. I got my first one standing on plates, then banged out a double. :)
I’m gonna start practicing! Great video 👍🏼
Fantastic! You are a terrific instructor!
I can do it now. Thank you so much
Thank you, most helpful
One day, while I was messing around at work, I decided to do one of these expecting nothing at all but somehow, after a couple of tries, I managed to pull a pistol squat. I realized that I have the strength for it but not the balance, so this is great to watch.
wow i never thought i'd be able to do it, watched the video once, I didn't do the mobility exercices, just went for it. and it worked...both legs YAAAY!!!
Thank you so much for this video
This would really help me a lot
Excellent progression explanation 💪