What equipment do you need for the leverage machine pendulum squat?

You need leverage machine to do the leverage machine pendulum squat.

What is a good leverage machine pendulum squat?

For men, a good leverage machine pendulum squat is about a 382.5 lb estimated one-rep max, the Gold (intermediate) standard in Kovo. Beginners start near 137.5 lb and elite lifters pass 695 lb. For women, the standards run from about 60 lb to 472.5 lb. The tier table above lists every rank from Bronze to Champion.

Legs · Leverage Machine

Leverage Machine Pendulum Squat

How to do the leverage machine pendulum squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

Equipment: Leverage Machine
Difficulty: Beginner
Logged as: Weighted reps
Movement: Squat
Mechanic: Compound

Find more:Quads exercises Machine exercises

How to do it

Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, keeping your chest up. Drive through your heels to return to standing.

1Push through the mid-foot and feel your quads engage as you extend your knees
2Keep your chest up and sit back and down; you should feel the movement through your hips and thighs
3Move deliberately and with control rather than relying on speed or momentum

Common mistakes

Don't feel pain or strain in unrelated areas; adjust your load or range if you do
Don't let your knees collapse inward or your heels lift; keep your spine neutral throughout
Don't use momentum or rush through the reps, quality trumps quantity

Muscles worked

The leverage machine pendulum squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.

QuadsPrimary
GlutesPrimary
HamstringsSupport
Lower BackSupport
CalvesSupport
Upper AbsMinor

Leverage Machine Pendulum Squat strength standards

See how your leverage machine pendulum squat ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.

Bronzee1RM137.5 lb
Silvere1RM242.5 lb
Golde1RM382.5 lb
Platinume1RM530 lb
Diamonde1RM617.5 lb
Champione1RM695 lb

Find your rank

Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.

Weight (lb)Reps

Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.

Kovo programs the leverage machine pendulum squat for you and tracks it every session.

We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.

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More quads exercises

See all quads exercises →

Last reviewed April 2026.