C@LISTH3N1CS

The air squat is T2 — the foundational bilateral squat pattern at bodyweight. Here's what owning it actually looks like and why most people don't.

The pause squat removes the stretch reflex from the full air squat — building raw bottom-position strength that transfers to every unilateral variation above T2.

The Bulgarian split squat is T3 — rear foot elevated, front leg doing the work. The single-leg strength and hip flexor demand here are the direct path to the pistol squat.

The Cossack squat trains lateral hip strength and adductor flexibility simultaneously — a movement almost no one does and everyone needs.

The shrimp squat is a single-leg squat with the rear foot held behind — building deep unilateral strength and balance that directly precedes the pistol squat.

The skater squat builds single-leg knee strength and quad dominance that neither the shrimp nor the pistol directly trains. And yes, Kip knows something about skating.

The pistol squat is T4 — one leg extended forward, squatting to full depth on the other. Here's the honest mechanics, the full prerequisite chain, and what it actually takes.

The sumo squat trains the wide stance bilateral pattern — inner thigh loading, hip opening, and the adductor strength that feeds directly into Cossack and lateral movement work.