StuKE
Level 4 Valued Member
As,highly rated as they are, I believe pistols are risky. The lower back rounds and thus can cause problems, I have seen this on many videos (rounding back), including Al Kavadlo and on this site. I don't deny it takes strength and works the muscles hard, I used to do these a lot but whenever I dropped weighted, regular squats and focussed on these, sooner or later my back would play up ( and it never does with regular squats , rows, deadlifts etc). I wanted them to be the best exercise for my legs, I would enjoy doing them and feel it in nearly every muscle, but the back trouble would follow. I am sure some will question my form, but it is extremely difficult to pistol without the forward lean and rounded back, as you will see in so many videos.
Eventually, I found adopting a sort of hack squat leaning back angle, a#@ to ground as they say, but holding lightly onto a chain secured to a weighted squat stand to allow me to lean back with the flat back. Hot exactly a pure exercise like a pistol, but safer and more effective I believe, still difficult, still hits all the musculature and allows a weight to be held for more resistance.
Eventually, I found adopting a sort of hack squat leaning back angle, a#@ to ground as they say, but holding lightly onto a chain secured to a weighted squat stand to allow me to lean back with the flat back. Hot exactly a pure exercise like a pistol, but safer and more effective I believe, still difficult, still hits all the musculature and allows a weight to be held for more resistance.
