Legs · None
How to do
Pistol Squats
A full single-leg squat to the floor with the other leg held out in front. One of the hardest movements in the Alea pool, and as much a mobility and balance skill as a strength one.
| Movement pattern | Legs |
| Measured in | reps |
| Equipment | None |
| Effort weight in Alea | 2.2 per rep |
| Appears from | D14 exercise die upward |
How to do it
Setup
Stand on one leg with the other extended forward, arms out in front as a counterweight. Give yourself space and something nearby to grab if the balance goes.
The movement
Push the hips back and lower slowly on the standing leg, keeping the heel down and the free leg off the floor throughout. Descend as far as you can control, ideally until the hamstring meets the calf. Drive back up through the whole foot without letting the knee collapse inward.
Common mistakes
- Dropping fast and bouncing out of the bottom, which is the most common way knees get hurt here
- The standing heel lifting, usually an ankle mobility limit rather than a strength one
- The knee caving inward on the ascent
- Attempting full pistols before owning the bottom position at all
Too hard? Scale it down
Work in stages. Box pistols first: sit back to a chair or box on one leg and stand back up, lowering the box height over time. Assisted pistols holding a doorframe or TRX. Slow negatives on one leg. Elevating the heel slightly also helps if ankle mobility is the limiter rather than strength.
Too easy? Scale it up
Pause at the bottom, slow the descent to five seconds, or hold a light weight in front as a counterbalance, which paradoxically makes the balance easier but the strength demand higher.
Where this sits in the Alea pool
Alea draws exercises from an ordered pool of twenty, and the die size slices from the top of that list. Pistol Squats is number 14 of 20, so it enters the draw once your exercise die reaches D14. Below that, you will never roll it.
Its effort weight is 2.2 per rep, which the app uses when it builds 100-rep sessions and tailored workouts, so a session containing pistol squats carries fewer total reps than one built from lighter movements.
Roll it now in your browser, or set your dice and let it come up on its own.
General information, not medical or fitness advice. Stop if you feel pain or dizziness, use the easier variation when in doubt, and see the full training disclaimer before starting.
Let the dice pick it for you
Alea draws pistol squats at random alongside nineteen other bodyweight movements. Free, no account needed.
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Related
Pistol Squats FAQ
How do I learn a pistol squat?
Box pistols are the standard route: sit to a chair on one leg, stand back up, then lower the box height over weeks. Combine with assisted reps holding a doorframe and slow negatives.
Why does my heel lift?
Ankle dorsiflexion is usually the limit, not leg strength. Elevating the heel on a small plate lets you train the pattern while you work on ankle mobility separately.
Are pistol squats bad for the knees?
Done under control, they are a demanding but legitimate exercise. Done by dropping fast and bouncing out of the bottom, they are asking for trouble. Control is the whole thing.