Pistol squats can be modified easily, so if you're balance just is not quite ready to support it, you can place a hand on a wall or stable bench. You can also make the squats more challenging, by holding dumbbells, or strapping on ankle weights.
1-Stand with your feet placed about hip width apart, creating length in your spine, really extending through your head. You want a long, flat back, and your chest to stay up during this exercise.
2-Begin by raising your right foot a few inches off the ground, being sure that your right foot is flexed and you are grounding yourself through your left foot.
3-When you feel stable in this position, slowly start lowering yourself down into a squat, raising your right leg so that your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Be sure that you keep your torso as upright as possible to relieve your back of as much strain as possible. If this is too strenuous, you may hover your right foot closer to the floor.
4-When your left thigh is parallel to the floor, hold the squat for two to three counts, and then slowly and with control, push through your left foot and bring yourself up to the starting position discussed in Step 2, your right foot hovering slightly over the floor as you stand on your left foot. This is one repetition.
Do 15 to 20 repetitions on each leg to complete 1 set. Do a total of 2 to 3 sets.
ENJOY!!
What a great addition to the regular squat exercise! I'm sure this will burn like hell. I wonder if it would have the same effect if you first go down and then, while in squat position, extend one leg in front of you?
ReplyDeleteI would try going down into a regular squat, then doing several reps of extending one leg in front of you.......massive hip flexor burn!
ReplyDeleteIts important to keep the left thigh parallel to the floor and not go lower... If the model in the picture goes all the way to a full squat, she will not be able to stand up on one leg from that position even pushing as hard as she can.
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