Kettlebell Squats

Starting position

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width, toes turned out a little.
2. Hold the kettlebell with both hands by the horns (or by the bell, bottom up) and keep it against your chest, elbows pointing down.
3. Stand tall, set your shoulder blades back and brace your abs. Look straight ahead.

Execution

1. Inhale and start the descent: push your hips back and bend your knees at the same time.
2. Knees track over your toes, heels stay down, the kettlebell stays at your chest.
3. Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor or a bit lower — as deep as you can while keeping your back neutral.
4. Exhale and drive through your whole foot back to standing. Straighten your legs fully at the top without slamming your knees into lockout.

Common mistakes

• Knees caving inward — puts extra stress on the knee ligaments.
• Heels lifting off the floor — weight shifts to the toes, the knees get overloaded and balance suffers.
• Rounding the lower back at the bottom — the load moves to the lower back.
• Letting the kettlebell drift away from the chest — the torso tips forward and the back works instead of the legs.

Beginner tips

• Start with a light kettlebell (8–12 kg) and practice depth and knee position first.
• If your heels come up, widen your stance a little and only go as deep as your mobility allows.
• Keep the kettlebell tight to your chest for the whole set — it helps keep your torso upright.

Alternatives

• Squats — bodyweight for practicing the technique
• Leg Press — loads the legs without loading the spine
• Barbell Back Squat — the next step with heavier loads