Choosing a squat variation for a workout is like selecting a flavor at a sprawling ice cream shop. You can opt for standard bodyweight squats (vanilla soft serve, if you will), or make them more complex by sprinkling in partial reps, tempo variation, and/or unilateral (single-leg) movement.

You can also add resistance, e.g. with a kettlebell or two. It’s a choice Peloton instructor Andy Speer often makes in his programming. “When I’m using kettlebells, I’ll generally incorporate a type of squat into the workout,” he says. Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the ins and outs of kettlebell squats, you might just be persuaded to do the same. Below, learn why this lower body move belongs in your routine, how to do it properly, and key variations to try.

The Benefits of Kettlebell Squats

Squats, in general, are a fantastic exercise for building functional strength. Practicing the movement in your workout routine with varying loads prepares you to do it safely and efficiently in everyday situations—think: crouching to pet a puppy or pick a heavy object up off the floor.

This movement pattern also engages some of the body’s biggest muscle groups. “Your lower body is doing the work to push the weight up: mainly your quads, glutes, and hamstrings,” Andy says. And depending upon the kind of squat variation, you're using your adductors [muscles along your inner thighs] as well.” Hold a kettlebell (or two) in a front rack or goblet squat position, and your core muscles will get involved too, he says.

Kettlebell squats aren’t necessarily any better or worse than other weighted squats for building strength, but they have their unique quirks, Andy says. If you’re performing a kettlebell squat in a front-rack position, for example, the kettlebell will sit farther out to the side and/or in front of you than with other types of squats. As a result, it places a slightly different demand on your muscles compared to a barbell front squat, back squat, or even a dumbbell squat. “Some people find with the kettlebell squat you can get comfortable in that racked position to promote a more natural vertical torso angle than even a front-loaded barbell or dumbbell squat,” he says.

Kettlebells are also ideal when you want to string together multiple exercises with quick transitions. “You could do, for example, a clean to squat with a barbell or dumbbells, but with the kettlebell it just has a nice smoothness and connectivity to it,” Andy says. This is thanks to the curved handle, which allows you to hold on from all different directions and easily switch your grip mid-move. 

How to Squat Correctly Using a Kettlebell

There are a lot of different ways to squat with a kettlebell, but the most common and beginner-friendly is the goblet squat. It’s a gem whether you’re a newbie or a more experienced lifter. “The kettlebell goblet squat is one of my favorite exercises for anybody learning how to do a squat,” Andy says. “It's a safe, comfortable tool to load up a heavy squat in a goblet or front rack position, and you also get a ton of core work.”

Here’s how to correctly perform a kettlebell goblet squat, according to Andy:

Holding the Kettlebell Correctly

Throughout the goblet squat, you want to keep the kettlebell close to your body. Holding it too far forward can put excessive strain on your shoulders and back. “Hold it as tight as you can to your chest and keep your elbows in, not winged out like a chicken,” Andy says. “You should also be holding the kettlebell with a straight wrist.” Rather than allowing your hand to bend backward towards your forearm, you want it to form a straight line. This is especially important when you hold a kettlebell in a front-rack position (more on that below).

7 Kettlebell Squat Variations to Try

The goblet squat is just scratching the surface of all the kettlebell squat variations at your disposal. Here are seven other popular squat variations to try.

Single-Arm Front Rack Squat

Similar to a goblet squat, this variation places the kettlebell in front of your body. But instead of holding the weight in the center of your chest, you’ll hold the kettlebell in one hand in front of your shoulder, gripping the center of the handle so the kettlebell rests on the outside of your bent arm. Unilateral exercises (which work one side of your body at a time) generally require greater core activation than bilateral exercises (which work both sides equally). When you hold a weight on one side, your core muscles have to work against the resistance to keep your torso stable and properly aligned.

Double-Arm Front Rack Squat

The double-arm loaded rack position is like the single-arm loaded rack position, except you’ll hold two kettlebells (one in each hand). Since you’re holding a weight in each hand, there’s no need to perform sets on both sides.

Sumo Kettlebell Squat

During a sumo squat, you take a wider stance than a standard squat, with your feet turned slightly outwards. For this kettlebell squat variation, you can hold the weight in a goblet position or between your legs with your arms straight. Widening your stance puts more of an emphasis on your adductor muscles, Andy says, which help to keep your pelvis stabilized when you walk or run.

Narrow Kettlebell Squat

You can also opt for a narrower stance, standing with your feet closer than hip-width apart. The variation increases the demand placed on your quads (the large muscles on the front of your thighs), Andy says. For this exercise, you can hold your kettlebell(s) in goblet, front rack, or suitcase positions.

Kettlebell Suitcase Squat

During a suitcase squat, you hold a kettlebell in each hand by your sides with your arms straight—the same way you might carry a suitcase by its side handle. The weight placement makes this move a sort of deadlift-squat hybrid, Andy says. “When you hold a weight up at your chest (like in a goblet or front rack squat), it naturally puts you more in what we consider the 'squat pattern' position,” he explains. This typically involves a more vertical torso, a deeper bend in the knees, and a forward shin angle (think: shins moving forward toward your toes). “When you're squatting with the weight down by your sides, it can turn into more of a hinge motion where the torso angles down, the hips go back, and it starts to become more like a deadlift,” he says. “A suitcase squat is kind of a hybrid between the true vertical-torso squat and a true hinge, and I love using that variation because it's a really natural position.”

Kettlebell Cossack Squat

The foot placement for a cossack squat allows you to drop it low. For this variation, you’ll take a wide stance and squat to the side, bending one knee while keeping the other straight, in a position similar to a lateral lunge. Many people chose to rotate their straight leg up to the ceiling, pivoting onto their heel so their toes point up. This allows you to squat deeply, making it just as much of a mobility move as it is a strength one. Master it with your bodyweight first; when you’re ready, you can hold a kettlebell in goblet position.

Kettlebell Split Squat

For a split squat, you’ll start with one foot a few feet in front of the other, like you’re going to do a classic lunge. Without moving your feet, raise and lower your body in this position, aiming to squat until both knees are bent at 90 degrees. You have the option to hold a kettlebell(s) in a front rack position, goblet position, or down at your sides. Incorporating unilateral exercises like split squats may help you even out your strength on both sides of your body. A 2021 study published in Applied Sciences found that soccer players who added unilateral bodyweight exercises to their routines for three weeks significantly decreased strength imbalances in their glutes and hamstrings.

Tips to Keep In Mind for Kettlebell Squat Form

To do kettlebell squats well, you need to start by doing squats correctly, period: Make sure to perfect your form with just your bodyweight first before adding weight. Once you're ready to pick up a kettlebell, these tips can help you make sure you're squatting safely and for maximum benefit.

Kettlebell Squat Mistakes to Avoid

When performing a kettlebell squat, it’s important to avoid hinging your hips too much, and pitching your chest forward. While you may not be able to keep your torso completely upright, you should aim to keep it vertical as best you can, Andy says.

With front rack kettlebell squat variations, in particular, avoid holding the kettlebell with a bent wrist or allowing your elbows to flare out to the sides, Andy says.

Because kettlebells require a bit more know-how compared to other free weights, it can be helpful to take guided classes that coach you through every move, such as those offered in the new Kettlebell Collection in the Peloton App.

No matter which flavor of kettlebell squat you slot into your workout routine, you’ll maximize the benefits by maintaining good form and control. Namely, you can build strength, promote mobility, and keep your body primed for everyday movement patterns. “Squatting is one of the natural human movement patterns that you should train and strengthen whether you’re using dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells,” Andy says. “It’s a pattern used in strength training that carries over to real life.”