Suspension pistol squat
A single-leg squat assisted by suspension straps. The straps take enough weight to build the pistol squat before you can do one unassisted.
TrainsQuads
NeedsSuspension trainer
The movement
2 stages
Standing on one leg
01 Standing on one leg
Hold the straps at chest height, other leg out in front.
02 All the way down
Lower with the straps taking only a little of your weight, heel down.
How to do it
Setup
- Hold the suspension straps at chest height and stand on one leg, the other leg held out in front with the heel off the floor.
- Walk your feet back slightly and lean into the straps until your arms take a little of your weight.
Execution
- Squat down on the standing leg, letting the straps take just enough weight to keep you balanced.
- Go down until the back of your thigh meets your calf, keeping the free leg off the floor.
- Pull lightly on the straps to help you stand back up through the standing foot.
BreathingInhale on the way down, exhale on the way up.
Getting it right
Form cues
- Take only as much help from the straps as you need.
- Keep your standing heel down the whole way.
Common mistakes
- Hanging your full weight on the straps, which trains the arms more than the legs.
- Letting the standing knee cave inward as you descend.
Worth knowing
- Check the anchor above you can hold your bodyweight before you lean back into it.
General guidance, not medical advice. See how Setkit works.
Notes
The pistol squat fails most people for one of three reasons: not enough strength, not enough ankle range, or not enough balance. Straps fix the balance piece directly, and they let you lean back slightly, which quietly helps the ankle range too. What is left over is honest single-leg strength work.
The amount of help you take matters more than the exercise itself. Pulling hard on the straps every rep builds a pistol squat with a permanent asterisk, one that only works with straps in your hands. Take the least assistance that gets you through the full range, and reduce it as you go.
This is the way into a real pistol squat for almost everyone, faster than months of box squats and safer than grinding at the floor version before you are ready. Once you can descend and stand back up with only a fingertip of support, the straps have done their job.