Pistol Grip Pump – How to EXPLODE Your Quads to Mars With Pistol Squats

I remember my first pistol squat.

I also remember my first failed pistol squat…

I was sitting in my college dorm room, reading through the Naked Warrior by Pavel Tsatsouline ( a most stellar read – and an absolute must for anyone serious about getting serious with their pistol squats and one arm push ups).

I read through the section on the pistol in one sitting.

Inspired, I stood up, and held one leg out in front of me – determined to conquer the seemingly simple task of performing just one pistol squat on each leg.

Slowly and shakily I began my descent.

Surprisingly I managed to weeble-wobble my way all the way down. It wasn’t pretty, but I made it.

Half way there!

Then I fell on my ass.

Crap! “A fluke”, I told myself!

So I stood up, shook it out, and tried again.

And again I ended up on my ass – frustrated, but this time humbled.

Clearly this was something I was going to have to work on.

And so I did.

I had the mobility and control on the eccentric, but kept losing my engagement and falling on my ass at the bottom.

So for a week I committed to using a series of progressions – many of which I have recently shared with you all – and committed to practicing the movement as often as I possibly could – performing them as often as I could.

And before the week was up, I had my first pistol squat. Shakey. Ugly. And certainly not something I’d show off in front of my mom or bring home for Christmas dinner, but a pistol squat none-the-less.

Then the refinement process began – and I began to perform as many single rep pistol squats as I could intermittently throughout the day. My shakiness began to dissipate, and I quickly developed greater control over my body and the movement.

And my freaking quads were sore as all hell.

The point I want to get across is that I too was there. That dark, nebulous void that one feels entrapped in when unable to perform even a single pistol squat. I remember the feeling like it was yesterday: Despair. Hatred. Anguish. (dramatic enough?)

But then ultimately triumph, continued success, and fulfillment!

The high’s just aren’t as good without the lows.

Don’t be discouraged if you are unable to perform a pistol squat just yet. Follow these progressions. Practice them often. And then I want you to tell me how good it feels when you finally bang out your first full range of motion pistol!

BTW – This issue of our SuperHero Development Newsletter is going to feature even more progressions towards the pistol squat AND one arm push up, and is an entire “bodyweight only” edition – featuring some of the most disturbing body-weight complexes and strength routines known to man (including how to perform one arm L-sits, muscles ups, and more!). If you are not already a member of our SuperHero Development Program – join today! You don’t want to miss out on this!

I hope you enjoy some of these personal favorite pistol squat drills of mine. Post any questions you have below!

PS – There’s still time to shred down and turn some heads on the beach this summer! If you haven’t already – be sure to check out our Birth of a Hero Program HERE

PPS – Dumb Question of the Day (first to answer in comment section gets a secret prize!) –

What substance in your body do antihistamines work to counteract?