Legs · Dumbbell
Pistol Dumbbell Single Leg Squat with Support
How to do the pistol dumbbell single leg squat with support, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand on one leg holding a light dumbbell at your chest, with your other hand on a rail or post for support. Extend your free leg in front of you and push your hips back to lower into a single-leg squat until your thigh is at least parallel to the floor. Use the support only for balance and drive through your working heel to stand back up.
- 1The quad, glute, and hamstring of the working leg as you lower and rise
- 2Your knee tracking over your toes and chest staying lifted
- 3The support hand assisting balance, not pulling you up
Common mistakes
- Don't let the working knee collapse inward
- Avoid yanking on the support to muscle yourself up
- Don't round your back; hinge slightly to sit back
Muscles worked
The pistol dumbbell single leg squat with support mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- AdductorsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the pistol dumbbell single leg squat with support for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.