Pistol Squat (Kettlebell)
The Kettlebell Pistol Squat is an advanced unilateral exercise that challenges lower body strength, balance, and mobility by performing a single-leg squat while holding a kettlebell. It primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes while demanding significant core stability to maintain an upright posture.
This exercise places high demands on both the central nervous system and knee joints, making recovery data crucial. The AI analyzes your HRV and sleep quality to determine if your nervous system is ready for this high-skill movement or if you should opt for a more stable variation. Additionally, by tracking RPE and rep consistency, the app can distinguish between muscular failure and balance fatigue, ensuring you are stimulating the muscles effectively without compromising safety.
Form Cues
- Hold the kettlebell tight against your chest in a goblet grip
- Extend your non-working leg straight out with the foot flexed
- Lower your hips slowly while keeping your standing heel planted
- Brace your core to keep your torso upright throughout the descent
- Drive explosively through your standing heel to return to the top
- Don't let your standing heel lift off the ground
- Don't allow your working knee to collapse inward
- Don't round your lower back at the bottom of the movement
- Don't drop quickly into the bottom position without control
- Don't let the non-working leg touch the floor
Common Mistakes
- Lifting the heel due to poor ankle mobility
- Knee valgus (caving inward)
- Rounding the spine forward
- Using momentum to bounce out of the hole
- Resting the floating leg on the ground
Muscles Worked
This exercise is a powerhouse for the quadriceps and glutes, requiring them to move your entire body weight plus the kettlebell on a single leg. It also heavily recruits the hamstrings and calves for stabilization, while the core and hip flexors work intensely to keep your torso upright and your non-working leg elevated.
Primary
Secondary
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