You want to do squats even more effectively? Then you should take a kettlebell to help. This is how you do the squat with kettlebell correctly and this is what you have to pay attention to!
If you want to train your legs and buttocks, you can't get around the squat. It is firmly anchored in every training plan and that's a good thing.
Even conventional squats have a great effect on the buttocks and legs - the effect is even greater when a weight is used.
Squat with kettlebell is a wonderful exercise for the living room. You need only a little space and can effectively strengthen your lower body.
You can adapt the exercise to your fitness level by varying the weight and you can control it by the number of repetitions.
Today I want to show you what is important in this exercise and what you have to pay attention to!
Table of contents
How to properly perform a squat with kettlebell
If you're tired of traditional squats, you'll love this variation. Thanks to the weight you get a lot of variety and set new stimuli for legs and butt.
But before you think about doing a squat with a kettlebell, you should be absolutely sure that you can perform traditional squats really cleanly. If you make mistakes here, then you transfer those mistakes to the kettlebell variation. And that's really bad for the body.
Especially the knees are affected when performed incorrectly.
If you've never trained with kettlebells before, check out the Kettlebell Beginner Workout over. Here you will learn all the basics and a few exercises to familiarize yourself with the weight.
So, try classic squats again in front of a mirror to make absolutely sure you're doing everything right and not pushing your knees over the tops of your feet.
If you've done that, then we can get started right away. Here comes a tutorial for squats with kettlebells.
- Equipment needed: yes, dumbbells
- Difficulty: medium
- Suitable for beginners: less
- Designations: Squats with kettlebell, Squat with kettlebell, Squats with kettlebell, Squat with kettlebell, Goblet Squat
- Muscle groups used: Thighs and buttocks
Squat with kettlebell instruction for beginners
- The feet are about shoulder width apart. The toes point forward and the weight is on the heels.
- Your body is erect and your back is straight.
- Hold the kettlebell in front of your chest with your arms bent.
- Inhale and bend the knees at about a 90° angle. At the same time, push the buttocks back and lower them. Do this until the thighs are parallel to the floor.
- The back remains straight during the entire execution.
- On the exhale, lift the buttocks again and return to the starting position. Use the strength of the thigh muscles for this.
- Extend your hips all the way through before starting over again.
As a beginner, do 8 reps and 3 passes.
Squat with kettlebell advanced instruction
If this is too boring for you, the first step is to increase the weight. But you can also make the exercise more difficult in other ways.
Challenge your body even more by pushing the kettlebell upwards. At the same time you do your upper body a favor and train the shoulders, biceps and triceps.
- Grasp the kettlebell with both hands. Hold it close in front of your body with your elbows pointing outward.
- Stand shoulder-width apart, feet turned slightly outward.
- Now squat in a controlled manner with your back straight until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- The knees must point in the same direction as the toes.
- Push yourself back up. When your legs are extended, lift the kettlebell above your head until your arms are extended.
- Pull the kettlebell back to your chest and then squat down.
If that's too easy for you, you can press the weight into the air while squatting. Here you must pay special attention to a clean execution and make sure that your back is straight.
Fancy some more? Try lunges with dumbbells!
What you need to pay attention to during execution
There are a few things you should keep in mind when doing squats with kettlebells. Only if you perform the exercise cleanly, it will be effective - regardless of whether you use a weight or not.
Legs
Make sure that the legs are open a little more than shoulder width. The toes point slightly outward. When you squat down, make sure you don't push your knees over your toes. This mistake often happens to beginners.
Those who exercise irregularly also tend to have their knees fall inward. You need to push your legs outward when bending over so that your knees point in the same direction as your toes.
If you are unsure, observe the position of the knees and legs in a mirror.
Back and shoulders
Push through the back so that it is straight during the entire execution. Even when you squat down. Lean forward slightly, but make sure your back is straight. This is best done by tightening the abdomen.
Both in the starting position and during the execution you should take the shoulders back. Do not let them sink forward.
If you pay close attention to these two things the first few times, you will automatically get it right later.
10 awesome barbell exercises for women!
Breathing
The best time to inhale and exhale depends on the weight you are using. If you are using a light weight, inhale during the downward movement. If you are using a heavy kettlebell, use the standing rest period before squatting to inhale.
When you inhale before the downward movement, you build pressure inside the abdomen, which improves stability. Exhale when you are in the squat position.
Stability and balance
Advanced users will usually have no problem with this. For beginners, however, squats with kettlebells are quite a challenge in terms of stability and balance.
Therefore, always start with a very low weight. In the beginning, half a kilogram is enough. Perform the movement at a moderate pace and use more repetitions instead of too much weight.
What muscles does the squat with kettlebell train?
Buttocks and legs - that much is already clear. But if you want to know exactly, then you can read it here now.
Goblet Squats target the same muscles as traditional squats - primarily the legs and buttocks. The focus is on the quadriceps, the muscle in the front of the thigh.
In addition, the core is also required. So that you do not lose your balance, abdominal and back muscles are required. The upper back, shoulders and biceps are automatically strengthened.
Depending on which version you choose - beginner or advanced - you will strengthen your upper body more or less with this exercise.
With a squat with kettlebell you train the:
- four-headed thigh muscle (Musculus Quadriceps Femoris)
- Leg biceps (Biceps femoris muscle)
- Large gluteal muscle (Musculus Gluteus Maximus)
- Secondary: adductors, back extensors, back, shoulders, upper arms.
That's why you should do squats with kettlebell regularly
You can perform squats in different ways with weight. Either you take dumbbells, kettlebells or barbells.
For those who are just starting to train, the barbell is absolutely unsuitable. With the Goblet Squat, however, you hold the weight in front of your body. This has the advantage that you balance your own body weight. This makes it easier for you to keep your back straight and your upper body upright.
In fact, just a little bit of weight can help you get the correct posture better - even if you struggle with traditional squats.
When you do squats with kettlebells, you can improve your mobility. This is because the weight allows you to have a stable stance and thus squat lower.
Squats with weight are the best way to advance your maximum strength performance and muscle building.
Try these dumbbell exercises for living room!
What are the alternatives for kettlebell squats?
You've tried it, but you're not particularly happy with the exercise. Either because it's too difficult for you or because it becomes too one-sided. There are exercises that target similar muscles and are at least as effective. As with any workout, variety is king! Go for a combination of different exercises if you want to see and feel effects quickly.
Squat with dumbbell
A good alternative for squats with kettlebells are squats that you perform with dumbbells. For this you can either use a dumbbell and replace the kettlebell or you take a dumbbell in each hand.
In the variant with two dumbbells, you can perform additional biceps curls in an upright position to better incorporate the upper body into the workout.
Kettlebell Swings
You'll also need a kettlebell, when you perform kettlebell swings. To do this, start in a hip-width stance, drop to your knees and swing the kettlebell through to the back.
With momentum, bring it forward until it is at shoulder height and stretch the legs through. Tighten the abdomen and buttocks.
This exercise is wonderful for improving flexibility, posture, explosive strength and endurance.
Our conclusion
If you are bored with conventional squats, then it is worth doing a squat with a kettlebell. With this squat variation you can push your muscle development faster. But always pay attention to clean execution and do the exercise in front of a mirror if in doubt.
Good luck with your workout!
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