The Cossack squat is a wide-stance squat where you sink onto one leg while the other stays straight out to the side. It opens the groin and hips and loads the hamstrings under your full body weight, so you build strength in the range you're opening up. Done consistently it gets you most of the way to the middle splits and a deep pancake.
How to do it
Stand much wider than feels natural. Shift onto one leg and squat down, keeping the other leg straight and your torso upright, stacked over the working foot. Shift across through a low horse stance to the other side rather than standing up between reps.
Learn more here:
Video by Strength Side
Progressions
Stuck halfway down? You're leaning back. Pull your weight forward instead:
- Hands on the floor, heel lifted
- Heel lift plus a weight held in front as counterbalance
- Heavier weight, no heel lift once hips go below the knee
Target
- Sets: 3
- Reps: 5 per side
- Rest: 90 seconds between sets
- Advance when: hips below the knee, torso upright, no heel lift
Key tips
- Feet wider than you think, so hips go down, not back
- Knee tracks over the toes
- Toe down on the trail leg for the groin, toe up for the hamstring