A nightmare called Pistol Squat

For cast iron practitioners, the leg day represents a kind of medieval torture chamber.

On all the instruments of suffering there reigns squat with barbell - strictly with load on the back. Starting from this, in the flowering of variations, Superset, attacks of nausea and scales impossible to do the next day, the variety of exercises to slaughter the legs seems endless.

What is surprising is that there seems to be no limit to the concept of variant.

Let's talk about what can happen after the free body squats.

Pistol Squat, or the beginning of an epic.

The epic is the one you have to face to be able to do them.

Il Pistol Squat it is simply the one-legged squat. The other remains extended forward, to provide a counterweight to the movement.

I benefits of the correct execution of the Pistol Squats are many:

• A considerable balance work. The muscles involved are many, and unsuspected
• Increased flexibility
• Just do a calculation on your weight, to realize that what we "lift" with a Pistol Squat still corresponds to a well loaded barbell

How to perform the Pistol Squat

The execution of this movement typically calisthenics it is - in words - very easy.

• The movement starts in feet, back straight and right leg raised.
• Bend your knee and begin the descent. The raised leg remains as parallel as possible to the floor. Forward arms can help balance.
• The descent ends when the buttocks are as close as possible to the floor.
• Climb upright.

The combination of load and balance causes a progression to arrive at the Pistol Squat.

Let's see it.

The progression to your first Pistol

It all starts with the bodyweight squat. If you are a CrossFit® enthusiast, these should have been in your arsenal for a while.

From here you can start progressing towards the Pistol Squat.

One way to deal with this progression is to do six series from 6 rep of each movement. When you complete them, you can move on to the next move.

They are always slow and controlled movements.

• Bulgarian split squat. Very similar to the lunges, with the difference that the leg that is not flexed is brought back, and the back of the foot is placed on a bench or other support.
• Shrimp squat. You lower yourself on one knee until the knee of the other leg (which remains behind the body) does not touch the ground.
• Assisted leg squats. Come down like in a Pistol Squat, but using a bench or a box as a support. The heel of the foot on the ground must never lift.
• Balanced leg squats. Like the previous one, but using the jamb of a door (or rack) as a support mainly for balance
• One-leg squats with weight. Paradoxically the Pistol Squat is easier to perform with load. In this case, hold a handlebar (or other object) with the weight of 5 kg and perform the movement holding it in front of you. Gradually reduce the weight.
• Pistol Squat.

I promised you I'd bring you, wouldn't you?

If you now want to raise the level, try inserting them into a Tabata style workout.

© Photo: Alex Ceban @Pixabay, dnice143 @Pixabay