How to Do a Pistol Squat

It's probably not a surprise that squatting on one leg is harder than two legs. But what might be surprising is that it's not just twice as hard--it's more like three or four times harder.

That is, if you're talking about the pistol squat, a single-leg variation of the squat in which hold your non-working leg straight and parallel to the floor.

Compared to the standard squat, pistol squats are more taxing on your nervous system, lower-body muscles, and your core. Plus, they require an extreme amount of hip, knee, and ankle mobility.

But that's not all: You also need the right balance of strength, stability, and mobility. Too much of one or too little of another, and you're landing on your butt.

That's why mastering the pistol squat places you in an elite fit club that few men can join. Want to become a member? Then follow this 3-step plan to pull off the king of all lower-body bodyweight exercises. Add these drills to your regular routine--you can even do them in a row as a pistol routine--and then at the end of four weeks, attempt the full pistol squat again.

(Edtitor's note: Why should you listen to Garner? For one, he's a terrific strength coach. And not only does a perfect pistol himself, but he can do it on a high stack of paper plates on a turf field in the middle of the most important competition of his life. See him do it in the video below. And then check out Garner duking it out in the rest of the episodes of Men's Health Next Top Trainer.)

The Pistol Versus the Single-Leg Squat

First, you need to know the difference between a basic single-leg squat and a pistol squat. The former is any squat on one leg where your hip crease is just above your knee crease. It doesn't matter what your front leg is doing.

The pistol, on the other hand, is a rock-bottom squat on one leg where your hamstring rests on your calf and your other leg is straight out in front of you. This is what we're striving for.

STEP 1: Maximize Your Mobility

For most men, the biggest impediment to performing a pistol squat is usually poor ankle mobility. Because of years of sports and sprains and neglect, they're usually tight and stiff.

And that's a big problem during the pistol. Your ankle needs to flex enough to let your knee come forward over your toes. This properly distributes your weight over your foot, which is your only base of support.

Find out if your ankles move like they should with this quick test: Stand facing a wall with your feet together and your toes about 5 inches from it. Place your hands on the wall. Keeping your heels flat on the floor, bend your knees and try to touch them to the wall. If you can't do it without your heels coming off the floor, your ankles are likely your biggest issue.

Related: 4 Exercises Every Navy SEAL (and Every Fit Guy) Should Do.

Do This: Wall Ankle Mobility Drill

This is similar to the test above. Stand facing a wall with your right foot about 2 to 3 inches it, your left leg slightly behind you. Place your hands on the wall.

Keeping your heel on the floor and toes point straight ahead, drive your knee toward the wall . Pause, and then move your knee to the right of your foot a couple of inches, and then to the left of your foot a couple of inches. Return to the starting position That's one rep. Do 5, and then switch legs and repeat. That's one set--do 3.

STEP 2: Build a Rock-Solid Bottom

If you've never done a pistol, the bottom position is an unknown zone. You might be able to reach the midpoint of the movement, but you'll probably fall apart after that because your body doesn't know what to do.

I recommend building as much stability as possible in the bottom position so your body is as comfortable at the end as it is at the start.

Related: The Anarchy Workout--One Guy Lost 18 Pounds of Fat in Just 6 Weeks!

Do This: Self-Assisted Pistol Holds

Hold onto a stable support like a squat rack post or suspension trainer handles, like TRX. This will allow you to use as much upper-body assistance as necessary.

Now slowly lower yourself into the bottom of the pistol position. Your weight should be on your heel, your knee in line with your foot, and your chest as upright as possible. Allow your butt to drop as close to the floor as possible. Pause here for 20 seconds, and then push up to standing. Repeat on your other leg. That's one set. Do 3. Increase the time you're holding the position for up to a minute. Rest as needed between sets.

STEP 3: Strengthen Your Stems

The first two drills make you mobile and stable. Now it's time to build some serious single-leg strength. After all, your leg can't be a wobbly, weak mess if you want to squat all of your body weight on it.

You'll need your leg to be as strong as possible if you want to go up and down, and fight the lateral and twisting forces that come into play when you're trying to squat on a small base of support with only one point of contact. You'll also need to have strong hip and thigh muscles in order to stabilize your knees, core, and spine so you don't tip over.

If you have the leg strength to do all of those things, you're well on your way to performing multiple reps of the pistol. If you don't, let's get you there with the following exercise.

(The pistol squat is hard. But do you know what else is hard? Waking up before the sun to exercise. Check out 5 Guys Who Wake Up at 4 a.m. to Work Out Tell You How They Do It.)

Do This: Single-Leg Box Squat
Stand on one leg in front of a box, bench, or step (facing away from the box). Keep your weight on your heel and your other leg slightly out in front of you. Push your hips back and bend your knee to slowly lower yourself to the box. "Tap" your butt to the box, and then immediately push yourself back up. Don't let your weight rest on the box at all. That's one rep. Do 8 reps, then switch legs. That's one set. Do 3 sets. Progressively lower the height of the box, bench, or step. Rest two minutes between sets.