Cossack squats: the underrated lower body exercise that boosts strength and mobility all-in-one

Squats, lunges, deadlifts – they’re all great for building lower-body strength and muscle. But after a while, these compound exercises can start to feel a little ‘samey’. Plus, they all move in the sagittal plane (forward and backward), which means you're missing out on strengthening your body in other directions.

Enter the Cossack squat. This dynamic lateral exercise combines muscle building with improved mobility, making it a powerful all-in-one move. Not only does it develop serious leg strength, but it also enhances hip mobility, balance, and joint health.

Though it may look similar to a lunge, the cossack squat is a variation of the single-leg squat. It hits all the same muscles you would during a regular squat – so your glutes, quads, hamstrings and hip flexors – however, its wide stance places more emphasis on the adductor muscles, which are essential for lateral stability, hip mobility, and reducing injury risk. Also, rather than stepping outwards and lowering your body – as you would during a side lunge – the Cossack squat involves shifting your weight laterally while keeping one leg extended, demanding greater mobility, balance, and control.

As you move your body from side to side, you’re moving the body through the frontal plane, which is commonly overlooked in lots of people’s workouts. However, it’s key for well-rounded muscle development.

Are Cossack squats easier than traditional squats? Not necessarily – performing them well does require a good degree of mobility. But don’t worry, you can modify the exercise by holding onto a squat rack or TRX straps for support as you lower and rise, helping you build confidence and control in the movement.

Add them to your next workout to challenge your muscles in new ways, and level up both your lower-body strength and mobility.

How to perform a Cossack squat

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Start with either just your bodyweight or you can use a dumbbell or kettlebell and hold it in a goblet position (just in front of your chest). Using a weight can actually make the exercise easier for some people (as long as it's not too heavy), as it acts as a counterbalance.

• Start with your feet nice and wide, standing tall (you may need to adjust your stance slightly throughout the movement) and pick up your weight holding it to your chest.
• Next, shifting your weight to one side, squat down as far as you can go (like a side lunge, but deeper), while keeping both feet planted to the floor.
• Push through your bent leg to get yourself back to the starting position, then repeat this movement on the other side (don't bring your foot back to centre like you would with a lateral lunge, keep a wide stance).