Cossack Squat

Muscle Groups Involved

Quads - Primary
Glutes - Primary
Obliques - Primary
Calves - Primary
Adductors - Primary

Highlights

Sit as deeply into the squat as possible.
Keep your non lifting leg locked out and straight.
Try to get your glutes as close to your heel as you squat down.
Keep your chest proud but do not arch your back.

Description

The Cossack Squat is a dynamic lower body exercise that targets the quads, hamstrings, and glutes while improving hip and ankle mobility and balance. The Cossack squat is named after the Cossacks, a group of people known for their military prowess and horsemanship in the steppes of Eastern Europe and Asia, reflecting the deep, wide-stance squats they traditionally performed to build leg strength and agility for horsemanship and combat. To the Cossack Squat start in a standing position with your feet about a foot wider than shoulder width apart. You can perform the exercise without weight or you can hold a dumbbell Goblet style for added resistance. To start the movement, brace your core and shift your weight to one leg, bending the knee and lowering your hips towards that side while keeping the opposite leg straight. Your heel may lift off the ground as you descend, and your chest should stay upright. Pause briefly in a deep single leg squat position, as you rotate your opposite leg so that your toes are pointed towards the ceiling. Redouble your braced core and push through the bent leg to return to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching to the other side.

Common Mistakes

Do not round your back. Do not look up. Do not do partial reps. Do not let

Do not round your back. Do not look up. Do not do partial reps. Do not let your knee or foot collapse in. Keep a neutral spine throughout the movement. Do not bounce off of your knee. Do not stop short on the way back up.

Pro Tips

Turn your toes up to increase the stretch on your hamstrings. Keep your foo

Turn your toes up to increase the stretch on your hamstrings. Keep your foot planted flat on the floor to increase the stretch on your groin or adductor muscles. Redouble your brace to improve your push off from the bottom position.

Purpose

The Cossack squat is a challenging unilateral exercise that increases flexi

The Cossack squat is a challenging unilateral exercise that increases flexibility while improving balance and joint mobility. This exercise also uses the frontal plane (side to side) as compared to most exercises like the squat or lunge which use the sagittal plane (front to back) which can help with athleticism and working neglected muscles.

Form

For the leg that is bending, your hamstring should cover as much of your ca

For the leg that is bending, your hamstring should cover as much of your calf as possible. Your opposite leg should be straight. At the bottom of the movement you can point your toes to the ceiling to get into a deep position and to stretch your hamstrings some.

Additional Names

Archer Squat