Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Single Leg Squat (Pistol) Male: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The single leg squat (pistol squat) is a challenging lower body exercise that targets the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. It requires significant strength, balance, and mobility to perform correctly, making it suitable for advanced practitioners.

Primary muscles
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Quads , Hamstrings , Calves
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the single leg squat (pistol) male
Front view: muscles worked by the single leg squat (pistol) male. Primary: glutes. Secondary: quads, hamstrings and calves.
Back view: muscles worked by the single leg squat (pistol) male. Primary: glutes. Secondary: quads, hamstrings and calves.
Primary Secondary

How to do the single leg squat (pistol) male

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms extended in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Lift your right foot off the ground and extend it forward.
  3. Step 3: Slowly lower your body down by bending your left knee and pushing your hips back.
  4. Step 4: Keep your chest up and your back straight as you lower yourself down.
  5. Step 5: Lower until your left thigh is parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
  6. Step 6: Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your left heel to return to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the single leg squat (pistol) male by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Single Leg Squat (Pistol) Male alternatives

More exercises that train the glutes as their main target:

More glutes exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.