The Drill That Finally Got Me My First Pistol Squat

Most people think the pistol squat is just about leg strength.

The honest answer is that it is about Strength.

There is a small 10% part that isn’t. So if negatives or assisted feels easy, this might be what you’re missing.

Back in my parkour days, I could jump rooftops but still tipped over sideways every time I tried a pistol.

The missing piece wasn’t strength—it was balance and control.

I needed to lean a little bit more forward and put more weight in my toes then into my heels that seem to work.

Here are two other things you can try if mobility or balance might be an issue.

Counter Balance Pistols – hold a weight in your hands to help you have your centre or gravity more forward.
Heel Assisted Pistols – place something on your heels just like you would use to assist in a squat if ankle mobility is stopping you.

Why does this matter long-term?

Because there are other factors, besides just Strength that people have to work with.

In this case, there’s a little bit of balance, a little bit of mobility and a little bit of control.

When trying to figure out, what’s the best way to help it’s stuff to try to find answers as many the answers are to help as many people as possible.

As a coach, it’s hard to help every single person with every single solution, this is why talking together helps find the proper answer

That’s the shift that makes hybrid calisthenics fun: you stop muscling through and start moving with mastery.

👉 Where do you usually get stuck on pistols—strength, balance, or mobility?

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