I think pistol squats is a great unilateral exercise and I can make them with good technique. But people tell me that it’s a bad exercise for my knees, especially when I’m over 40.
Are pistol squats bad for your knees?
No, they are not “bad for your knees”. As with most exercises, it comes down to the dosage (i.e., total sets/reps & intensity) compared with the person’s tolerance (i.e., how well-prepared is the person for what they’re trying to do).
If they have never done a pistol squat before and their first day involves 50 of them, they may experience some unpleasant effects.
If someone has been well-trained and is comfortable performing them, and performs them in a controlled way using a reasonable number of reps for their training history, they are likely to be fine.
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