ex_HNO7AO

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Upper Legs · Body Weight

Assisted Pistol Squats

advancedstrengthMale & female model

Assisted Pistol Squats is an advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads (upper legs), with the hamstrings and calves assisting. It needs only a sturdy surface. A typical prescription is 4-5 sets of 4-8 reps, and it burns about 7.3 calories per minute.

Target: Quads
Body part: Upper Legs
Equipment: Body Weight
Category: Strength
Mechanic: Compound
Force: Push
Sets × reps: 4-5 × 4-8
Calories / min: ≈ 7.3 kcal

Primary muscles

Quadriceps · Quadriceps Femoris
Glutes · Gluteus Maximus

Secondary muscles

Hamstrings · Biceps Femoris
Calves · Gastrocnemius

How to do Assisted Pistol Squats

Stand upright while holding onto a sturdy equipment with both hands for balance. Extend one leg straight forward and keep it off the floor while the other leg remains on the floor.
Lower yourself slowly by bending the standing leg at the hip and knee, keeping your chest up and your extended leg straight in front of you.
Descend until your glutes are close to your heel and then push through the heel of your planted foot to return to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired repetitions, then switch legs and repeat.

Form tips

Lower yourself slowly and avoid collapsing at the bottom of the squat to avoid injury.
Extend your non-working leg fully in front of you and keep it parallel to the floor.
Use your arms only for assistance, not to pull yourself up or down.

Assisted Pistol Squats alternatives

Kettlebell Squats

Dumbbell Squats

Barbell Bench Squats

Barbell Front Squats

More quads exercises

Bodyweight Squats

Quads · beginner

Jump Squats Bodyweight

Quads · intermediate

Goblet Kettlebell Squats

Quads · intermediate

Front Squats Dumbbell Low

Quads · intermediate

In and Out Squats

Quads · intermediate

Feet Together Barbell Squats

Quads · intermediate

Dumbbell Narrow Stance Squats

Quads · intermediate

Jumping Pistol Squat

Quads · advanced

Assisted Pistol Squats FAQ

What muscles does Assisted Pistol Squats work?

Assisted Pistol Squats mainly works the quads in the upper legs (Quadriceps Femoris and Gluteus Maximus). The hamstrings and calves work as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for Assisted Pistol Squats?

You need only a sturdy surface.

How many sets and reps of Assisted Pistol Squats should I do?

Start with 4-5 sets of 4-8 reps. Pick a load or variation where the last one or two reps are hard but your form stays clean.

Is Assisted Pistol Squats good for beginners?

It's rated advanced, so it's best left until you have a solid base of strength and technique.

How many calories does Assisted Pistol Squats burn?

About 7.3 calories per minute for a person of around 70 kg, based on a MET value of 6. Ten minutes of work is roughly 73 calories; heavier people burn more.

What is a good alternative to Assisted Pistol Squats?

Other exercises for the quads include Kettlebell Squats, Dumbbell Squats, Barbell Bench Squats and Barbell Front Squats.

For developers

Use Assisted Pistol Squats in your app

Get this exercise and 1,900+ others from the WorkoutX API: 720p MP4 animations at 30 fps without the watermark, male and female models, muscles, instructions and form tips in 7 languages.

Get a free API key Read the docs

# One request returns the exercise and its 720p media links
curl "https://api.workoutxapp.com/v2/exercises/ex_HNO7AO" \
  -H "X-WorkoutX-Key: YOUR_API_KEY"

{
  "id": "ex_HNO7AO",
  "name": "Assisted Pistol Squats",
  "model": "male",
  "counterpartId": "ex_4AIO24",
  "target": "Quads",
  "equipment": "Body Weight",
  "media": {
    "mp4": "https://…/ex_HNO7AO/mp4-720.mp4?…",
    "poster": "https://…/ex_HNO7AO/poster.jpg?…"
  }
}