Quads · Compound movement
Pendulum Squat
A compound exercise for the quads, with the glutes working too. You need a weight machine.
Primary muscle
Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Pendulum Squat
- Position your back against the pad and set your feet on the platform of the pendulum machine.
- The arced pendulum path keeps the load balanced over the feet and takes shear off the spine, sparing the lower back.
- Release the handles and lower by bending the knees, letting the platform swing through its fixed arc.
- Descend deep until the thighs pass parallel, keeping the back flat against the pad the whole way.
- The arc keeps constant tension on the quads through a very deep range, so control the bottom rather than crashing into it.
- Drive the platform back up through the mid-foot, stopping short of locking the knees at the top.
Suggested working range: 8–12 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Crashing into the deep bottom instead of controlling the arc under tension.
- •Letting the lower back round off the pad at the deepest point.
- •Locking the knees out hard at the top of the arc.
- •Letting the knees cave inward as the platform swings back up.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Pendulum Squat fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize quads volume.
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