Single Leg Box Squat: On the Road to the Pistol

One of the challenges of bodyweight training is finding creative ways to continue to progress in your training without adding external resistance. There are multiple ways this can be accomplished, including changing the tempo, rest, sets, speed or leverage. Another supper effective technique is progressing to single limb training. Moving from bilateral (two limbs) to unilateral (one limb) completely changes the dynamic of the exercise. That’s why I’m such a fan of the single leg squat.

When we move to a single leg squat, we are challenging the stability of the ankle, knee, hip, and trunk, as well as the overall stability of the body as a unit. It’s extremely important to build this stability when building your foundation for a pistol squat.

Full Pistol Squat

Due to the fact that the pistol requires so much strength, you will need the stability in order for the muscles to exert that level of force. The single leg box squat allows us to progress into the deeper versions of this exercise, while activating the necessary hip musculature.

Be sure to always align your knee over the toe!

If we start with a high enough object, you can perform the exercise with perfect form, and you’ll notice a quick progression into a deeper single leg squat. If you start too low and learn the movement with poor form, it will be much harder to progress to more advanced versions. So, take your time, and remember you can’t build a house without a solid foundation first!


Check out this video below for step-by-step instructions for beginning with the single leg box squat.

Stay tuned for more instructional videos on different versions of the single leg squat, as well as the pistol squat!

• To read more about how great squats are, check out this article I wrote last year: RESURRECTING THE SQUAT
• For a combination exercise that has both a squat pattern and a vertical pushing pattern, check out my video on this cool horizontal squat: THE HORIZONTAL SQUAT WITH PRESS