The bodyweight squat is almost magic in its benefits. It builds strength, endurance, power, bone density, balance, stability, it will strengthen your core, your flexibility, and not even mentioning what it will do to your ass and legs aesthetically. And the king of bodyweight squats: the pistol squat. Beautiful in its execution, this exercise will make you physically better all around.
Now, there’s many ways to build to the pistol. What I’m sharing right now is what’s helped me make the quickest and best progress. This is not, by any means, the only way (I just think it’s the best way).
Step 1: Jackknife Squats
This is taken directly from Convict Conditioning. Get a sturdy chair, or surface that’s up to knee height. Stand directly in front of it with your feet around hip width (play with this and find what’s more comfortable with you). Place your hands on the surface keeping your back straight. From there, bend your knees dropping between your legs. Once you can’t go down any further hold for a second, and then get back to the starting position. Repeat.
Under no circumstances should your heels leave the ground. This goes for every other step as well.
Go slow. Keep your back straightish. Don’t let your heels leave the ground
Step 2: Supported Squats
For supported squats you’re going to hold onto a taller surface, while standing straight up. Keeping your feet around hip width and your back straight up, you’ll bend your knees and drop down as far as you can. On the bottom, pause for a second and then stand back up following the same movement. Repeat as needed.
Once again, grab a surface and get your ass to your calves
Step 3: Half Squats
Now you’ll be flying solo little bird. Stand up straight with your feet at least hip wide. Bending at the knee and hip go until your upper thigh gets parallel to the ground. Hold that position for a second and stand back up.
Now you’ll be self supported. Imagine you’re sitting down before you pop back up.
Step 4: Full squats
Do the same as you did for half squats, but go all the way down, and pause a second on the bottom of the position. Repeat as necessary.
Now you’ll go on your own all the way down. Congrats, you’re half way there!
Step 5: Narrow stance squats
Now we’ll be starting to challenge your balance.
Stand straight with your feet together. Now, slowly (so as to not lose your balance) bend at the hip and knees and go down until your ass rests on your calves. Hold there for a second and stand back up.
Ladies, this will give you an ass to be remembered by
Steps 6, 7 & 8: Partial pistol squat
Now we’re starting to go unilateral. This step is best combined with any of those that have been done before so as not to lose your flexibility.
Find a chair or surface. I’ll let you decide what height is correct for you right now. Just remember to have it challenging, and, as you master a certain range of motion, add some. Stand with your back to the chair or surface. Lift one leg from the ground and slowly bend at the hip and knee of your grounded leg. Sit on the chair, hold it for a second, and reverse the movement.
Steps 7 and 8 are exactly the same, but on lower surfaces.
A small tip: shift your weight forward; it will help you keep your balance.
Either add reps or range of motion, never both on the same practice.
Go slow now. It’s a lot different than going to legged.
Step 9: Supported pistol squat
(This works great along Step 8)
Grab onto a sturdy vertical surface (door frames kick ass for this). Lift one leg from the ground. Grabbing onto the door frame, bend at the knee and hip slowly on the grounded leg until your glutes kiss your calf. Hold it and reverse.
Ease into it, full ROM does feel fine. Try to rely less and less on your hands, but on your balance.
Step 10: The Pistol Squat Proper.
Stand up straight and lift one leg from the ground. Now bend at your hip and knee while keeping your foot flat on the ground (you did remember to never lift your heel), until you can rest on your calf and reverse. Expect to fall some until you find your balance sweet spot, if this is still too hard, grab a small weight (2kg at most), it will help you with your balance.
Now, this is might not be beautifully executed. But you get the idea.
Practice your pistol squat until you become as adept as a flamingo. Seriously, this exercise will help you with any of your fitness goals, knee health, flexibility, balance and strength. Expect future variations to come.
I hope this progression helps you. If there’s anything that you may need please let us know
Motus Virtute