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Kettlebell Overhead Squat

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A full-body squat variation holding a kettlebell overhead that targets quads, glutes, and shoulders to build strength, mobility, and core stability; commonly used for functional training and assessing movement quality.

About Exercise

Equipment

Kettlebell

Difficulty

4/5 • Advanced

Primary Muscle Groups

Quads, Shoulders

Secondary Muscles

Hamstrings, Lower Back, Traps, Triceps, Calves

Popularity Score

Goals

Strength

Mobility

Stability

Training Style

Functional Training

CrossFit

Setup Requirements

Requires Rack

Requires Bench

Requires Spotter

Space Needed

Medium

Noise Level

Low

Muscle Breakdown

View Muscle Map

Quads

9/10

Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis

Shoulders

8/10

Anterior Delts

Glutes

7/10

Glute Max

Abs

7/10

Rectus Abdominis

Obliques

6/10

Hamstrings

5/10

Biceps Femoris

Lower Back

5/10

Erector Spinae

Traps

4/10

Upper Traps, Mid Traps

Triceps

4/10

Long Head

Calves

3/10

Gastrocnemius

Programming

Typical Rep Range

5-12 reps

Rest Between Sets

90-180 seconds • Longer for heavier sets

How to Perform

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out. Clean and press a light kettlebell overhead with arm locked, core braced, and spine neutral.

Inhale and push hips back to initiate squat while keeping kettlebell overhead.
Bend knees and lower body until hips are at or below knee level.
Keep chest up, knees tracking over toes, and heels grounded.
Brace core and pause briefly at bottom if desired.
Exhale and drive through heels to extend hips and knees back to start.
Maintain overhead lockout throughout ascent.
Switch arms if performing single-arm variation.

Coaching Tips

Form Cues

Lock arms overhead
Chest up, ribs down
Knees out over toes
Brace core tight
Heels down
Drive through mid-foot

Breathing

Inhale deeply during descent to brace core; exhale forcefully during ascent.

Tempo

3-1-1

Range of Motion

Descend until hips are slightly below knees with torso upright and arms fully extended overhead; ascend to full hip and knee extension without losing lockout.