Pistol Squat
Full-depth single-leg squat. Strength, balance and mobility. It works mainly the quads and glutes, with help from the hamstrings and abs.
In Flawless, Gold, the third of eight ranks, starts at 10 reps in one set for men aged 23–39 and 8 for women.
How to do Pistol Squat
- Stand on one leg with the other leg extended straight in front of you and the arms reaching forward for balance.
- Sit down on the standing leg as deep as you can with the heel on the floor, keeping the free leg off the ground.
- Keep the chest up and the knee tracking over the toes; go only as deep as you can come back from.
- Drive through the heel to stand up. Hold a light counterweight in front of you or squat to a box while learning it.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Quads | Quadriceps femoris |
| Primary | Glutes | Gluteus maximus |
| Secondary | Hamstrings | Biceps femoris |
| Secondary | Abs | Rectus abdominis |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Single-leg strength, balance and mobility at once
- Reveals side-to-side differences immediately
- Full control of your own bodyweight
Rep standards for Pistol Squat
| Rank | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start |
| Silver | 5 | 4 |
| Gold | 10 | 8 |
| Platinum | 15 | 12 |
| Diamond | 20 | 16 |
| Obsidian | 25 | 20 |
| Painite | 30 | 24 |
| Antimatter | 50 | 40 |
Numbers are reps in one set, for ages 23–39.
Flawless ranks Pistol Squat by the most reps you managed in one set; the rank updates after every workout. Women’s limits are 20 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Pistol Squat work?
It works mainly the quads and glutes, with help from the hamstrings and abs.
How do you do Pistol Squat?
Stand on one leg with the other leg extended straight in front of you and the arms reaching forward for balance. Sit down on the standing leg as deep as you can with the heel on the floor, keeping the free leg off the ground. Keep the chest up and the knee tracking over the toes; go only as deep as you can come back from. Drive through the heel to stand up. Hold a light counterweight in front of you or squat to a box while learning it.
How many reps of Pistol Squat is good?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 10 reps in one set for men aged 23–39 and 8 for women, Diamond at 20 and 16.
Try it free
Free on Google Play and the App Store. The whole log is free; PRO is optional.