The pistol squat is one of the best exercises for building strong glutes and thighs. The only challenge is that if your calf flexibility is limited, you may not be able to squat all the way down. You can place a plate under your heel as a temporary fix, but in the long run, it's better to work on your flexibility. Don’t rely on elevating your heel—stretch your calves instead.
Find more leg exercises in our Weight Training and Bodybuilding Main section.
Execution
Starting Position
Stand on one leg
Extend your arms straight in front of your chest for balance
Raise the other leg in front of you
Lowering Phase
Squat down on your standing leg as low as possible without lifting your heel
Inhale as you descend
Keep your eyes facing forward
Try not to round your back
Ideally, your hip should go lower than your knee at the bottom. But don’t worry if you can’t go that low in the beginning.
Returning to Standing
Push through your foot to stand back up slowly
Exhale as you rise
The higher you hold your free leg, the better for balance and form
At first, you might only manage a half squat—and that’s okay! The goal is to go as low as you can without lifting your heel
Posture Tips
Keep your knees close together during the movement
Hollow your lower back or push your chest forward as you come up—don’t round your spine
Focus on reaching muscle failure—that means going to the point where your leg gives out and you physically can’t continue. That’s where real progress happens.
Advice
Beginners: If it’s too difficult, you can lightly slide your free leg along the floor as you come up—but always make sure you're standing up using only one leg.
Don’t rock back and forth or cheat by pushing off both legs.
If you can do more than 20 reps, try doing a pre-fatigue exercise like barbell squats, leg press, or leg extensions before your pistol squats.
You can also go slower or go deeper for more challenge.
I don’t recommend using weights for pistol squats.
And just to clarify: this exercise isn’t just for girls! It’s one of the most powerful and humbling leg exercises, but many guys avoid it because it's hard to balance and demands flexibility.
Bonus Tip: To emphasize glutes, actively squeeze your buttocks at the top of each rep. Also, stretch your glutes and hip flexors for 10 to 15 seconds between sets—it helps with flexibility and performance. (I usually do this stretch—see video for reference).
Suggested Exercises
Barbell Squat
Leg Press
Barbell Lunge
Leg Extension
Lying Leg Curl
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Standing Barbell Calf Raise (on a wall)
One-Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise
Fei Yue Wushu Shoes
The only shoe you’ll ever need. Ideal for wushu and acrobatics on hard ground. Perfect for overall foot health. #barefootshoe #wideshoebox
