What are Pistol Squats?
Pistol squat, also called the one legged squat, is squat done with a single leg. In pistol squat form, you have to keep your non-working leg parallel to the floor while doing the squatting with the working leg. Pistol Squat actually pushes the strength of your nervous system, core, and lower body muscles to a level far higher than normal squats. No wonder that usually a pistol squat beginner finds it very difficult to do. But, nevertheless, mastering it can give you benefits many times over the normal squats.
Doing squats and lunges again and again can prove to be a very boring form of doing workouts. Instead, you can add pistol Squat to your workout routine and break the monotony. People who are looking for the answer to
how to increase stamina should actually try pistol Squat. It is an advanced form of
strength training that helps you in
building lean muscle and
weight loss. If you learn how to do one legged squat properly, you don’t need to do other
cardio exercises that you find boring.
What is a Pistol Squat Workout?
A pistol squat workout is a workout that includes various types of pistol squat along with some complementing exercises. This workout includes different exercises not only because a 360° approach to your health is necessary, but also because one type of exercise can put a strain on your muscles.
How Effectively Can We Do Pistol Squats Workout at Home?
Pistol squat for beginners can be performed quite effectively at home. Among other benefits of pistol squats, its one benefit is that you do not require special pieces of gym equipment for doing it. All you need to have for doing pistol squat is a nice space, shoes, etc. Apart from these things, you will also need a good trainer. So, if you have all of these required things at hand, you can effectively do pistol squat at home.
Who Can Do Pistol Squats Workout?
Any person with good health can actually do pistol squat. All you need to do is just consult an expert or watch online pistol squat classes for learning it properly and avoiding mistakes.
Usually, it is considered that pistol squat is a form of workout that only advanced level athletes can do. It is true that one legged squat is not easy to do, but, at the same time, if your body is agile enough, you can do one legged squat very easily.
Who Should Avoid Pistol Squats Workouts?
We have mentioned above who can do pistol squat, but it is also important to know who should actually avoid doing it. Here is a list of people who generally should avoid doing pistol squat as it can cause harm to their health:
People who have had some kind of injury recently
People who are suffering from any heart-related disease
Women in the postpartum (generally, first 3-6 months)
Pregnant women
Once your health condition changes, you can start doing pistol squat after consulting with a health expert.
What are the types of Pistol Squats?
Interestingly, there are various types of pistol squat. So, if you are bored from doing the only form, you can try another form of pistol squat. Here a few types of pistol squat that is both easy to learn and beneficial for your health:
Simple pistol Squats
Weighted pistol squats
Assisted Pistol Squats
How to do Different Types of Pistol Squats Step-by-Step?
It is best to know how to do different types of pistol squat through small but actional and clear steps. Here is your guide on how to do them:
Single leg Squat: Probably the most famous type, single leg pistol squat is the most simple type of pistol squat. It involves strengthening a number of pistol squat muscles that are mainly present in your core and lower body.
It is best to know how to do different types of pistol squat through small but actional and clear steps. Here is your guide on how to do them:
Single leg Squat: Probably the most famous type, single leg pistol squat is the most simple type of pistol squat. It involves strengthening a number of pistol squat muscles that are mainly present in your core and lower body.
Instructions:
Stand straight with your feet parallel to each other and together.
Raise your arms parallel to the floor and extend your left leg towards your front so that your heel hovers off the floor.
Tighten your core, and make your spine straight.
Bend your right leg and keep extending the left leg.
Bend the right leg as far as you can. Try to extend your left leg so farther that it becomes parallel to the floor.
Now, return to the starting position by gradually stand up on the right leg.
Repeat the process, this time by bending your left leg and keeping your right leg straight.
Timings: It is done in a progressive manner. You can start with 2-3 sets of 15-30 seconds.
Assisted Pistol Squats: Another popular form of the workout, assisted pistol squat is often clubbed with pistol squat to make it more effective and challenge your body muscles further. Apart from that, you can also break the monotony of doing the same type of squat by replacing it sometimes with assisted pistol squat.
Instructions:
Stand with a bench or box on your backside with a level of your knee height.
Make sure that your feet are parallel to each other and together.
Raise both your arms making them parallel to the floor.
Extend your left leg in a way that your heel hovers off the floor.
Make your core a little tightened and keep your spine straight.
Bend your right leg and keep extending the left leg.
Bend the right leg far enough that your butt touches the box.
Now, return to the starting position by gradually stand up on the right leg.
Repeat the process, this time by bending your left leg and keeping your right leg straight.
You can reduce the height of the box over time.
Timings: It is done in a progressive manner. You can start with 3 sets of 10-15 seconds. Reduce the height of the box or the chair till you don’t need it anymore.
Weighted pistol squats: This is an advanced form of pistol squats as it not only includes balancing your body on one leg but also weight training along with it. So, once you think that you are getting hold of the pistol squats, you can then move to weighted pistol squats. Do not make the transitions too quickly as it can become stressful for your body.
Instructions:
Start with a standing position with a kettlebell in your hands.
Gently, stretch both of your arms forward.
Extend your left leg in a way that your heel hovers off the floor.
Make your core a little tightened and keep your spine straight.
Bend your right leg and keep extending the left leg.
Bend the right leg so far that your left leg becomes parallel to the floor.
Keep your stance balanced and face straight wards.
Now, return to the starting position by gradually stand up on the right leg.
Repeat the process, this time by bending your left leg and keeping your right leg straight.
Just make sure that your stance remains balanced and comfortable during the whole process.
Timings: You can increase the weight of the kettlebell in a progressive manner. You can start with 3 sets of 10-15 seconds.
Benefits of Doing Pistol Squats
The list of benefits of pistol squats is huge. The workout can help you build both your core and lower body muscles, which is a rarity to be seen in workouts. In fact, it is a large number of pistol squat benefits that makes it a popular workout despite that the fact that it is not as easy to perform. Here are some of the most important pistol squat benefits:
Boosting Your Unilateral Strength: Almost everybody favors one side of their body over the other. It includes how we walk, how we do things with hands, or which step do we take first before jumping. Over time, this can actually make you lean towards one side. If not corrected on time, people can start noticing this while you stand or slowly walk. Doing a one-leg pistol squat can rectify these types of imbalances very easily. Just put pressure on the muscles of the leg which you want to make strong.
Better Balance and Coordination: If you are a sportsperson, you might want to make your balance and coordination better for your game. Or if your coordination might have become weak because of some injury or medical condition. All of these can be improved with the help of this workout. So, no matter if you a professional athlete or a person with some kind of health condition, doing this workout can actually help you (do it under the supervision of an expert).
Increase Your Muscular Strength: While you stand on one leg, its muscles bear the weight of the whole of your body. In simpler words, one leg does the work of two legs. And increase the muscular strength of your leg. So, if you want to gain muscular strength of legs, start doing the workout on a regular basis.
There are specific muscles in your body that get strengthened with pistol squat. Here is a list of the muscles that gains strength with this workout:
Quadriceps: Since this exercise is a knee flexion and extension movement, your quadriceps gets the most number of benefits. It is the quads that help in controlling the movement and providing the power for flexion and extension.
Core Stabilizers: You need to engage your core stabilizers when reducing your support base. Core stabilizers actually stop you from falling into that situation. So, pistol squats strengthen your core stabilizers
Glutes And Hamstrings: The eccentric part of your exercise is actually stabilized by glutes hamstrings. So, doing the exercise regularly can make help them make stronger.
There are some other pistol squat benefits such as:
Increase in general
flexibility
Boost your ankle joint mobility
Posterior chain strengthening.
Disadvantages of Doing Pistol Squats
You will be able to do pistol squat properly only when you know all the ins and outs of this workout. And that includes both its benefits and disadvantages. Not too many in numbers, here are so disadvantages of doing pistol squat:
It is very easy to get imbalanced while doing pistol squat. In such a condition, it is very easy to get injured.
Pistol squat muscles pain can happen if you overdo the exercise.
If you are a beginner, it is relatively harder to do this workout as it requires your body to have a fine balance and agility.
Joint issues and injuries can happen without a proper range of motion in this workout.
Dos & Don’ts
Before starting on with pistol squat progression, you need to have certain dos and don’ts in your mind. Here is a small list:
Dos
Always start your pistol squat exercise session with a mild warmup.
Complement your pistol squat progression with a protein diet.
Wear comfortable clothes that can facilitate the movement of your limbs.
Download the pistol squat videos if you are using an app for training. Sometimes, the internet connection fluctuation can interrupt pistol squat your session.
Don’ts
Do not do pistol squat without expert supervision. Improper form of this workout can put stress on your knee as there is only one leg that is holding your body.
Do not do the same form of pistol squat over and over again. You can try different types as we have mentioned above.
Do not do pistol squat continuously for more than 10 to 15 min. as it can put a strain on your muscles.
Do not lean too far forward while doing the pistol squat workout.
Things Required to Do Pistol Squats if You Are at Home & Gym?
One benefit of pistol squat exercise is that it does not require a large number of special gym equipment. There is only a small number of essential equipment that can get you moving on with pistol squats progression. These equipment are:
A Mat (optional)
Comfortable clothes
A Towel
A Kettlebell (Only for weighted pistol squats)
A box or a chair (Only for assisted pistol squats)
One pair of shoes
A water bottle