Legs · Kettlebell
Kettlebell Squat
How to do the kettlebell squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Kettlebell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
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.
- 1Hold the kettlebells tight to your chest and feel your core working
- 2Drive through your heels and engage your quads and glutes
- 3Keep an upright posture and your elbows up throughout the squat
Common mistakes
- Don't let your elbows drop or your upper back collapse
- Avoid letting your knees cave inward
- Don't let the kettlebells pull you forward, stay balanced over your mid-foot
Muscles worked
The kettlebell squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
Kettlebell Squat strength standards
See how your kettlebell squat ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM35 lb
Silvere1RM62.5 lb
Golde1RM102.5 lb
Platinume1RM145 lb
Diamonde1RM170 lb
Champione1RM192.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the kettlebell 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.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed April 2026.