Pistol squats are one of the most common movements in CrossFit, but one of the hardest to master. Also referred to as single-leg squat, this exercise must be conquered by anyone who considers themselves a CrossFitter.
Pistol squats are part of the what differentiates CrossFit from other sports. Just like a muscle-up and kipping pull-ups, if you see someone doing a pistol squat, that person is probably a long-term CrossFit athlete.
Just like it is common to see pistol squats on many WODs, it is also difficult to master the standards of the movement. Continue reading to find out how to progress to pistol squats, mistakes to avoid, benefits and also 8 WODs that has pistol squats in it.
How To Do Pistol Squats
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, keep your head straight at all times looking forward. Extend both arms in front of you and one leg. Bend the knee of the leg touching the ground and perform a deep squat with one leg straight in front of you. Try to bring the butt as close to your heel as possible. Use the strength on your leg to get back up through your heel and stand up returning to initial position. Repeat on the other leg.
How To Progress
The pistol squats will use up all the strength you have on one leg while also challenge your balance skills. The difficulty level is incredibly high, but there are a plenty of ways to progress your squat into a pistol squat.
First and foremost, you must build leg strength by performing normal squats, with both feet on the ground. Progress to air-squats, and then to the Bulgarian split squats, which will begin to look more like a pistol squat.
After building enough strength on your lower body, start practicing the different movements involved in a pistol squat. First, concentrate on the isometric contraction, by standing on a box with one bended knee, and lifting the other leg straight ahead (the final part of the pistol squat). After that, utilize the same box to perform the eccentric contraction which is lowering your body with one leg, and finally the concentric part (lifting your body).
You may use the box, or a chair, to assist you. Just perform the pistol squat as you normally would, but with the chair behind you to sit down on it. This will eliminate the deep squat part of the exercise.
Performing rolling pistol squats might feel like cheating, but it is one of the best ways to progress that your full strength before being able to perform the standard movement of the exercise. Just simply roll back to create momentum after squatting deeply with one leg, and use the momentum to get back up on one leg.
Now that you can perform the pistol squat, perhaps you are losing balance or is still unsure if you are doing them correctly. Two tips from WODprep can help you finish off any problems. The first is to grab your foot instead of just lifting it before squatting. The tension should help you maintain balance.
Also, you can step in before the squat. The momentum forward will help with ankle flexibility and balance your full body so you do not fall over.
Mistakes to Avoid – Pistol Squats
Pistol squats abuse your ankle mobility and if you don’t have much, then you probably lifting your heel when reaching your butt close to your foot. Make sure you keep your foot grounded on the floor. The culprit for lifting up your heel could be ankle mobility, but it could also be a lack of strength on your legs, glutes or even abs to keep your balance.
You may round your spine when doing pistol squats, but you should not excessively hunch your back. The more upright you keep your posture, the more challenging and effective the movement is.
If you do not fully extend your leg at the end of the movement it will not count as a rep. That is a mistake most CrossFitters beginners will make before hearing “no rep” from their coach and get distracted. You already performed the hardest part, make sure you fully extend your leg before moving on to the other leg.
Muscles Worked
Pistol squats will develop flexibility, endurance and coordination of your leg muscles. The exercise works these muscles:
- Hips
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Gluteus maximus
- Calves
- Abs (to a smaller extent)
Benefits of Pistol Squats
Besides providing a great leg workout, pistol squats will greatly improve your balance. This will translate to better running, as you need balance to shift your weight from one leg to the other while on the go.
The increased ankle mobility will help you feel more comfortable in a deep squat, meaning you can reach a new PR on some weight lifts such as the front squat.
Pistol squats are a bodyweight unilateral exercise so it will correct any muscular imbalances you may have.
Pistol Squats Workouts
1911
For Time
- 50 Pistols
- 25 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
- 40 Pistols
- 20 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
- 30 Pistols
- 15 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
- 20 Pistols
- 10 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
- 10 Pistols
- 5 Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
Score is time on the clock after completing the last chest-to-bar pull-up.
Advanced athletes can set up a fast pace from the beginning. Intermediate and beginners should break up reps early on the chest-to-bar pull ups and go steady on the pistol squats.
Workout by Pete Marjamaa.
Quarterfinals 21.2
For Time
- 60 GHD Sit-Ups
- 6 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 60 Alternating Pistols
- 50 GHD Sit-Ups
- 5 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 50 Alternating Pistols
- 40 GHD Sit-Ups
- 4 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 40 Alternating Pistols
- 30 GHD Sit-Ups
- 3 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
- 30 Alternating Pistols
Time Cap: 20 minutes
Pistol Pete
For Time
- 100 Alternating Pistols
- Every minute on the minute starting at 0:00, perform:
- 10 Push-Ups
With a running clock, as fast as possible perform 100 Pistols. Every minute on the minute starting at 0:00, perform 10 Push-Ups.
Score is the time on the clock when the 100th Pistol is completed.
Workout by Brendan Walcoff.
Maggie
5 Rounds for Time
- 20 Handstand Push-Ups
- 40 Pull-Ups
- 60 Pistols (Alternating Legs)
Score is time on the clock after finishing the last set of 60 pistols.
Good Times for “Maggie”
– Beginner: 53-61 minutes
– Intermediate: 37-48 minutes
– Advanced: 27-31 minutes
– Elite: 19-24 minutes
You may scale down to intermediate level by performing 3 rounds instead of 5.
Maggie is a CrossFit “girl” benchmark WOD.
Atalanta
This workout was part of 2020 CrossFit Games.
For time:
- 1-mile run
- 100 handstand push-ups
- 200 single-leg squats
- 300 pull-ups
- 1-mile run
Women: 14-lb. Vest
Men: 20-lb. Vest
Perform all reps unpartitioned, meaning finish all handstand push-ups before moving on to pistol squats.
Score is time on the clock after finishing the last 1-mile run.
Tapdance
8 rounds of:
- 20 freestanding shoulder taps
- 10 pistol squats
This is a workout to focus on your skill, rather than time.
Workout by David Scharff.
Open 20.4
For time:
- 30 box jumps
- 15 clean and jerks, 65 | 95 lb.
- 30 box jumps
- 15 clean and jerks, 85 | 135 lb.
- 30 box jumps
- 10 clean and jerks, 115 | 185 lb.
- 30 single-leg squats
- 10 clean and jerks, 145 | 225 lb.
- 30 single-leg squats
- 5 clean and jerks, 175 | 275 lb.
- 30 single-leg squats
- 5 clean and jerks, 205 | 315 lb.
Women: 20 inch box
Men: 24 inch box
Time cap: 20 minutes
Mary
AMRAP in 20 minutes
- 5 Handstand Push-Ups
- 10 Pistols (alternating legs)
- 15 Pull-Ups
On a 20-minute clock, complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible of the prescribed work in the order written: 5 Handstand Push-Ups followed by 10 Pistols followed by 15 Pull-Ups.
Score is the total number of rounds and repetitions completed before the 20-minute clock stops.
Good Scores for “Mary”
– Beginner: 7-8 rounds
– Intermediate: 9-12 rounds
– Advanced: 13-16 rounds
– Elite: 17+ rounds
Mary is a WOD that requires above-average gymnastics skills. It is possible to scale down by reducing the number of reps in each round.
Intermediate
20 minute AMRAP
- 2 handstand push-ups
- 6 pistols (alternating legs)
- 10 pull-ups
