Well, I was finally successful in performing several full range pistol squats! There is still some weakness and instability in my right knee, but this has improved significantly over the course of these exercise progressions during the last few weeks. Here are the final two tutorials demonstrating my last training progression, and then performance of the pistols.
In this first video I introduce elevated pistols, where you do a full range pistol squat standing on step, so that the unsupported leg does not have to be held as high in front of you. This is noticeably easier than doing it on the floor, where at first I was getting muscle spasms / cramps in my unsupported leg.
I hope this has assisted you in performing pistol squats as well. If you are not quite there yet, go back to each stage of progression we introduced over this series and spend more time training the specific exercises you found most challenging. In case you missed any of them, here are the other blog posts in this series:
=> Pistols Part 1 (Single Leg Sit Squat)
=> Pistols Part 2 (Side Step Ups)
=> Pistols Part 3 (Assisted Pistols)
Once you can perform the pistol squat comfortably you will be well on your way to developing powerful, injury-proof legs!
Stay fit, train smart, play hard.
Josh