Assisted Pistol Squat with Bed Sheet

How to do the Assisted Pistol Squat with Bed Sheet

1. 1Anchor a bed sheet around a sturdy point such as a closed door, post, or rack upright, and grip it with both hands at about chest height.
2. 2Stand facing the anchor with your feet hip-width apart, arms extended so the sheet is lightly taut.
3. 3Shift your weight onto one leg and lift the other foot off the floor, extending it straight out in front of you.
4. 4Brace your core and sit back and down on the standing leg, using the sheet for balance and to take some of your weight.
5. 5Lower under control until your standing thigh is at least parallel to the floor, keeping your heel flat and your raised leg off the ground.
6. 6Pull lightly on the sheet as needed to stay upright and to assist out of the bottom position.
7. 7Drive through your standing heel and stand back up to full extension, squeezing your glutes at the top.
8. 8Complete your reps on one leg, then switch to the other side.

Form tips

• Use only as much pull on the sheet as you need — let your standing leg do most of the work and reduce the assistance as you get stronger.
• Keep your standing heel planted throughout; pushing through the heel keeps the glutes and quads loaded and protects your knee.
• Sit your hips back and keep your chest up so your knee tracks over your foot instead of caving inward.
• Confirm the anchor point is solid and the sheet cannot slip before loading your weight onto it.

Common mistakes

• Pulling yourself up entirely with the sheet, which turns it into an arm exercise and leaves the glutes and quads undertrained.
• Letting the standing heel rise onto the toes, which shifts strain to the knee and reduces glute drive.
• Allowing the standing knee to collapse inward, which stresses the joint and ligaments.
• Anchoring the sheet to an unstable point that can give way, risking a fall.

Frequently asked questions