Bodyweight Question about pistol form... Can the legs be touching?

[Harry Westgate]

Hi everyone, just a quick one about proper StrongFirst form when doing bodyweight pistol squats.

Are the legs allowed to touch? In other words, can I slide the free, airborne leg down the working leg during the descent and whilst in the rock bottom position? Or must the free leg be held out in front and away from the working leg? I only ask because while I can do pistols either way, I find that closing the gap between my legs helps with balance a huge amount, but it states here Beast Tamer and Iron Maiden Challenge - StrongFirst that the free leg may not touch the working leg. Does this rule apply only to weighted pistols or to bodyweight only as well? I just want to ensure that I'm doing it properly on a constant basis.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Harry Westgate]

In case anyone's unclear what I mean,

This is exactly what I'm on about. I know that Aleks was an RKC, so I don't question that he knows what he's talking about, but I just wondered if standards had changed since StrongFirst was formed.

 

[Steve Freides]

@Karen Smith?

-S-

 

[Harry Westgate]

@Steve Freides good call on linking Karen while waiting for a reply from her might I be best off just practicing both forms?

 

[Steve Freides]

If you have a copy of the Naked Warrior book/DVD, see if this issue is mentioned.

-S-

 

[Harry Westgate]

I've got the book of The Naked Warrior, and although I don't have it in front of me right now (I'll double check later though), I'm 99% sure this topic isn't mentioned, I only recall the instructions saying to 'hold the free leg out in front' or words to that effect, nothing about between-leg contact...

 

[Harry Westgate]

Just an update, The Naked Warrior doesn't mention this issue. Keeping the shin vertical and not letting the working knee cave in are mentioned, but as for the free leg, it just says to hold it out in front, and given that all the mentioned requirements can be achieved with or without the between-leg contact I'm talking about, I'm still a little lost as to what the 'true' standard is for 'naked' (unweighted) pistols... :/

I think until further expert advice can be offered, I'm going to focus on maintaining a bit of a gap between the legs as the Beast Tamer standard states, given that I find it a bit harder anyway and it'll do know harm to work on something I'm not as strong at!

 

[Harry Westgate]

Bump... Just wondered if anyone had anything to offer? Any SFBs perhaps?

 

[Steve Freides]

@Harry Westgate, @Karen Smith was here regularly for a while but she has not been lately. I suggest you try to contact her by other means, e.g., she is very active on Facebook, and she has her own web site here: Coach Karen Smith –

-S-

 

[Harry Westgate]

@Steve Freides Thanks very much! I appreciate you pointing me in her direction. I will try to contact Karen on her site and take it from there.

 

[CMarker]

Harry, great question. I like the discussion.

Here is the rule:
"The airborne leg has to stay in front for the duration of the attempt. It does not have to be straight. It may not touch the ground or the working leg."

My interpretation is that the foot doesn't touch the ground or push off on the working leg. It does not seem so much about the inner thighs touching. Some people have very large thighs that would be tough to get out of the way. The video by Aleks gives great advice. We will ask @Karen Smith and @Brett Jones to see if my interpretation is correct.

 

[Steve Freides]

Thank you, Craig.

For me, the idea has always been that my feet should be straight and my legs straight to the front, so I'm thinking a shoulder-width "stance" and not the way Alex is describing it. But Craig's point is well taken here, too - even though I've got pretty skinny legs, I'm sure my thighs are touching, too.

My image is that the displacement occurs at the hip - as I start, I'm moving my center of mass to the outside in order to be centered over the bearing leg and foot, and then that's where I try to stay throughout. I am shifted straight sideways at the hip, but not rotated, and then otherwise trying to stay straight and square.

JMO.

-S-

 

[Harry Westgate]

@CMarker thanks for the response! You made a point there about thick thighs that I hadn't thought of; since I have fairly small(ish) legs, it wasn't a concern of mine, and asking those with tree trunk legs to keep their inner thighs/knees totally separate seems a bit unreasonable...

I think Aleks' advice is sound and I personally used it when learning the pistol. Also, you're interpretation of the Beast Tamer/Iron Maiden challenge seems pretty reasonable regarding any assistance from the free leg, especially since inner thigh contact is never mentioned anywhere else regarding pistol form.

I've emailed @Karen Smith this question via her website, so if she replies to that before getting a chance to comment on this thread, I will keep you all posted!

Thanks!