Single-Leg Box Squat — High (~55–60 cm)

Squat · reps · unilateral The first pistol-pattern level: free leg forward, sit back to a high surface, small range.

The movement

Stand on one leg with the free leg held forward, sit back onto a high surface (chair or box ~55–60 cm), lightly touch, and stand back up — all on one leg, no hand support. This is the first level with the pistol pattern: the non-working leg points forward, not down behind. The high surface keeps the range small, so you learn the balance and the free-leg-forward position before the depth.

Set-up — and what each part is for

  • Surface stable, ~55–60 cm, behind you; stand ~5–10 cm in front on the working leg, foot flat.
  • Free leg extended forward, just off the floor, knee straight. → feel it counterbalance you — holding it forward is what keeps you over the foot.
  • Arms forward for counterbalance, or crossed.
  • Torso upright, gaze forward; no hand on the surface.

The rep — rehearse it before you do it

  • Descend in 2–3 s: working knee bends, hips travel back, torso leans forward to stay balanced, free leg stays up. → feel the working quadriceps (front-thigh muscle) and glute (buttock muscle) control the lowering.
  • Bottom: buttocks lightly tap the surface (1 s) — a reference, not a seat; stay under tension.
  • Drive up through the whole foot to standing, free leg still forward.
  • Switch sides after all reps on one side.

Breathing

Inhale on the descent, exhale on the drive up.

Watch for

  • Sitting down fully and bouncing up → the surface is a touch-point, not a chair; keep tension, no weight transfer.
  • Free leg dropping → hip flexors (front-of-hip muscles that hold the leg up) tiring; if it drops mid-set, the set is over.
  • Falling backward at the bottom → lean the torso forward more; that’s what keeps you over the foot.
  • Knee caving inward → track it over the foot.

Within the level

  • Harder: lower the surface toward chair height; slower descent; pause at the bottom.
  • Easier: higher surface (smaller range); a fingertip on a side support for balance (not load).

Dose

Test a clean max per side, then practice at half of the weaker side rounded down, capped at 5 reps per set, same count both sides, weaker side first, spread through the day.