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You are here: Home / Bodyweight Exercises / Single Leg Box Squat: On the Road to the Pistol

Single Leg Box Squat: On the Road to the Pistol

November 18, 2011 by Mike Fitch 7 Comments

Global Bodyweight Training

The Single Leg Box Squat: Progressing to the Pistol

The Pistol squat is an impressive feat of strength, and the Single Leg Box Squat is a great place to start!

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.

Building Stability for the Pistol Squat

Global Bodyweight Training, Mike Fitch

Full Pistol 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.

A pistol squat is performed by single leg squatting all the way down until the butt touches the heel of the same leg. The opposite leg is extended straight out in front, with the arms straight and held at shoulder level.


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.

Global Bodyweight Training - Mike Fitch

Be sure to always align your knee over the toe!

Usually when we see someone squat and their knees go inward, it’s a good indicator that there is an imbalance of tight to weak muscles in their lower body. One commonly weak hip muscle is the glute medius which plays a vital role in tracking the knees during the squat. The single leg squat is an excellent way to activate this muscle and improve the entire mechanics of the hip, knee and ankle.

Performing the Single Leg Box Squat

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

 

Filed Under: Bodyweight Exercises, Exercise Tutorial, Features, Instructional Tagged With: legs, Squat

Comments

  1. Wilfred van Dorp says

    November 21, 2011 at 8:51 am

    Thanks Mike. An excellent way to work up to the pistol squat. Like your crystal clear instructions. Will get my clients working on this one as well. Cheers Wilfred

    Reply
    • Mike Fitch says

      November 23, 2011 at 7:58 pm

      Great Wilfred, glad you enjoyed it. Let me know what your clients think of it!

      Reply
  2. Brandon Cook says

    November 28, 2011 at 3:14 pm

    I just have to say that of all the pistol squats I’ve seen on the internet… your technique is sincerely the best I’ve seen! This will be my guide to pistol bad-assery. lol

    Reply
    • Mike Fitch says

      November 29, 2011 at 10:24 am

      Thanks! Post a video on our facebook page when you’ve mastered the pistol squat badassery

      Reply
  3. Adam Molinaro says

    February 16, 2014 at 8:17 pm

    This training led me to do a full pistol squat (but while holding a single 20 lb dumbbell for balance assistance). So I’m not totally there, but this tutorial helped me make great progress.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. The Walking Pistol Squat | says:
    May 7, 2013 at 6:55 pm

    […] your pistol squat training with this single leg box squat (link to full article is here: Single Leg Box Squat: On the Road to the Pistol Squat […]

    Reply
  2. Ejercicios de mejora de la flexibilidad para las pistol squat | My Blog says:
    March 22, 2015 at 4:41 pm

    […] | Imagen 1 – Imagen 2 – Imagen […]

    Reply

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