Are Pistol Squats Overrated? Trainers Weigh In

Pistol squats are all the rage on social media. It makes sense: Being able to lower yourself to the ground in a single-leg squat position is an impressive display of fitness. But is it worth it or overrated? Should you spend time building the strength and mobility to perfect the move or just focus on other lower-body exercises? RELATED: The Benefits of Push-Ups Here’s what personal trainers have to say. The Benefits of Pistol Squats Let’s start with the concrete benefits of pistol squats, besides the “wow” effect. Eddie Baruta, global head of gym floor personal training at Ultimate Performance, notes that any single-leg exercise performed correctly and safely is going to be very effective, especially if you want to train your glutes. That’s because they require frontal plane pelvic stability, which means keeping your hips stable so they don’t tip from side to side as you balance on one leg. You also need to keep your supporting leg steady throughout the movement so your thigh doesn’t cave in or rotate, which makes your muscles work harder to stabilize you. “[Pistol squats] work all the major muscle groups in your legs, including your hamstrings, quads, adductors, glutes and even your feet,” says Baruta. “They’re also good for balance, for lower body mobility and have a lot of functional crossover into the real world. They can help improve your strength and power if you’re a runner, build your glute muscles and improve your range of motion when doing squats or deadlifts, adds Baruta. The Drawbacks of Pistol Squats But despite their benefits, pistol squats aren’t for everyone — and that’s one of their main drawbacks. As Amanda Grimm, personal trainer and sports and remedial massage therapist at Knead Massage, puts it, pistol squats look impressive on Instagram, but what’s rarely discussed is how much strength, mobility and control they require: “It’s one thing when a super-toned and fit personal trainer demonstrates them, but what about everyone else?” When a fitness influencer shows off a pistol squat, they make it look easy. But that’s a problem if you don’t understand the mechanics behind the movement or the progression required to pull off a pistol squat with good form. “The truth is that if your mobility isn’t good enough and you don’t have a good enough understanding of the progression needed, you could just end up frustrated or even injured,” adds Grimm. Baruta agrees: “Pistol squats are very difficult to perform safely and correctly. Most people struggle to perform traditional squats correctly, let alone add in the extra difficulty of doing them on one leg. Without being disparaging, very few people have the required flexibility to perform them safely.” Are Pistol Squats Overrated? So, are pistol squats overrated? “I would say, yes. They’re more useful as a screening tool for asymmetries, balance and movement quality than a go-to strength builder for most people, in my opinion,” says Grimm. “The pistol squat is a complex exercise and that means that it doesn’t always deliver the best return for your effort or safety — especially if your goal is pure leg strength, muscle building or functional performance.” If your gym time is limited, you might want to focus on other moves. “Do you really want to waste that time falling over and getting frustrated with yourself because you can’t execute a decent pistol squat, when that time could be better spent focusing on easier and safer-to-perform exercises that will yield greater results?” adds Baruta. What are some of those exercises? Grimm recommends Bulgarian split squats, step-ups, single-leg box squats or even goblet squats for safer and more effective results. And if you’re really into the idea of mastering the pistol squat, Baruta suggests testing the waters by doing a regular bodyweight squat. In your normal squat stance, perform a slow squat to full depth and pause at the bottom position for two to four seconds. Then, slowly return to your start position. Do 10 reps. “If you can do this with perfect form, with no pain and no wobbling, then it’s a good sign you have enough stability to attempt a pistol squat,” says Baruta. At that point, you can work on building the strength and mobility to get there. However, think about your fitness goals before committing. Although pistol squats can be rewarding if you enjoy the challenge, they're not always the most effective option. They require patience and practice. It might be better to stick to tried-and-true lower-body exercises that deliver gains without the complexity if you're a beginner or just want to get the most out of your gym session. “As is often the case, quality trumps novelty. At the end of the day, good form combined with measured progression is what will deliver the results,” says Grimm. You Might Also Dig: How Often Should You Work Out Your Arms?Why You Should Plank Daily5 Fat Loss Principles to Help You Lose Weight Fast