Kettlebell Pistol Squat

Muscles worked by the Kettlebell Pistol Squat

Primary

GlutesGluteus MaximusQuadsQuadriceps Femoris

Secondary

Glute MediusGluteus MediusHamstringsHamstring MusclesAbsRectus Abdominis

Also called: glute, glutes, gluteus maximus, buttocks, butt, quad.

Equipment

Kettlebell

Also called: kb, cast iron kettlebell, competition kettlebell, girya.

How to do the Kettlebell Pistol Squat

1. Hold a kettlebell at your chest with both hands.
2. Stand on one leg with the other leg extended forward.
3. Lower your hips down into a one-legged squat.
4. Keep your raised leg off the floor throughout.
5. Drive through your standing heel to return to standing.
6. Complete reps on one side, then switch.

Form tips

• Keep your standing heel rooted to the floor throughout.
• Descend slowly to stay in control at the bottom.
• Push the kettlebell slightly forward to counterbalance as you sit back.

At a glance

Kettlebell Pistol Squat in German & Spanish

Descriptions, instructions and tips ship in all three languages in the JSON.

Related exercises

• Barbell Back Squat
• Bodyweight Squat
• Box Squat
• Bulgarian Split Squat
• Dumbbell Front Squat
• Dumbbell Split Squat
• Front Squat
• Goblet Squat

Exercise data (JSON)

The record below is exactly what exercises.json ships for this exercise — names, descriptions, instructions and tips in English, German and Spanish.

{
  "id": "kettlebell-pistol-squat",
  "name_en": "Kettlebell Pistol Squat",
  "name_de": "Kettlebell-Pistolkniebeuge",
  "name_es": "Sentadilla pistola con pesa rusa",
  "description_en": "An advanced single-leg squat performed holding a kettlebell at the chest for counterbalance.",
  "description_de": "Eine anspruchsvolle einbeinige Kniebeuge, bei der eine Kettlebell mit beiden Händen vor der Brust gehalten wird.",
  "description_es": "Una sentadilla a una pierna con la pesa rusa al pecho que exige fuerza y equilibrio avanzados.",
  "category": "strength",
  "force_type": "push",
  "mechanic": "compound",
  "difficulty": "advanced",
  "equipment": "kettlebell",
  "body_part": "upper_legs",
  "primary_muscles": [
    "gluteus_maximus",
    "quadriceps"
  ],
  "secondary_muscles": [
    "gluteus_medius",
    "hamstrings",
    "rectus_abdominis"
  ],
  "goals": [
    "hypertrophy",
    "strength"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "lower_back_safe",
    "shoulder_safe",
    "no_axial_load"
  ],
  "variation_group": "squat",
  "is_unilateral": true,
  "is_bodyweight": false,
  "instructions_en": [
    "Hold a kettlebell at your chest with both hands.",
    "Stand on one leg with the other leg extended forward.",
    "Lower your hips down into a one-legged squat.",
    "Keep your raised leg off the floor throughout.",
    "Drive through your standing heel to return to standing.",
    "Complete reps on one side, then switch."
  ],
  "instructions_de": [
    "Halte ein Kettlebell mit beiden Händen vor der Brust.",
    "Steh auf einem Bein, das andere Bein nach vorne gestreckt.",
    "Hüften in eine einbeinige Kniebeuge absenken.",
    "Das gehobene Bein während der ganzen Übung oben halten.",
    "Durch die Ferse des Standbeins drücken und aufstehen.",
    "Absolviere die Wiederholungen auf einer Seite, dann wechseln."
  ],
  "instructions_es": [
    "Sostén una pesa rusa a la altura del pecho con ambas manos.",
    "Párate en una pierna con la otra extendida hacia adelante.",
    "Baja las caderas en una sentadilla a una sola pierna.",
    "Mantén la pierna elevada fuera del suelo durante todo el movimiento.",
    "Empuja a través del talón de apoyo para volver a ponerte de pie.",
    "Completa las repeticiones en un lado y luego cambia."
  ],
  "tips_en": [
    "Keep your standing heel rooted to the floor throughout.",
    "Descend slowly to stay in control at the bottom.",
    "Push the kettlebell slightly forward to counterbalance as you sit back."
  ],
  "tips_de": [
    "Halte die Ferse des Standbeins fest am Boden.",
    "Gehe nur so tief, wie du die Kontrolle behältst.",
    "Lass das Knie des Standbeins nicht nach innen kippen."
  ],
  "tips_es": [
    "Mantén la pesa rusa cerca del pecho como contrapeso.",
    "Baja despacio para no desplomarte en la parte final.",
    "El talón de apoyo no se despega del suelo."
  ],
  "met": 6.0,
  "images": {
    "flat": {
      "start": "images/flat/kettlebell-pistol-squat-start.webp",
      "peak": "images/flat/kettlebell-pistol-squat-peak.webp"
    }
  }
}

Fetch just this exercise

const { exercises } = await fetch(
  "https://exercise-dataset.com/exercises.json"
).then(r => r.json());
const ex = exercises.find(e => e.id === "kettlebell-pistol-squat");

Free for personal and commercial in-app use with attribution (“Exercise data by RepDB”) — see the license and ready-made attribution snippets. Redistributing the data as a dataset or API is not permitted.