Written by Patrick Dale, PT, ex-Marine

Pendulum Squat (Image via @hunterlabrada/Instagram)

A lot of trainers think that working out with anything but freeweights is a waste of time. They believe that freeweights are best for stimulating strength and muscle growth. And while barbell and dumbbell exercises are undoubtedly effective, it’s a mistake to think that freeweights are the best way to train.

The fact is that machines can be every bit as effective, especially for hypertrophy. Machines eliminate the need to balance the weight, which leaves you free to focus 100% on the muscles you want to build. Your set will end when the agonists are fatigued rather than prematurely because the synergists fail.

For example, say you’re doing squats. It’s not uncommon for your lower back and core to fail before your legs are fully stimulated. You might be able to crank out a couple more reps with your lower back rounded and your butt winking like crazy, but this increases your risk of injury.

In contrast, doing something leg presses means you can crush your lower body without worrying so much about your lower back.

Yes, if you want to develop functional strength, freeweights are probably best. But, if you are a bodybuilder and not an athlete, machines might actually produce better results.

In this article, we take a look at the pendulum squat machine, so you can decide if it deserves a place in your workouts.

The pendulum squat is a compound or multi-joint exercise that works many of your lower body muscles simultaneously. The main muscles trained during pendulum squats are:

Known as the quads for short, this muscle group is located on the front of your thighs. There are four quadriceps muscles: the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. All four quads are involved in the pendulum squat, but the three vastus muscles are the most active. The quads are the dominant muscle in pendulum squats.

There are three gluteal muscles: gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The Gluteus maximus, which is basically your butt, is your main hip extender and is very active during pendulum squats. The deeper you descend, the more work they have to do.

Gluteus minimus and medius are located on the side of your hip and help stabilize your joints, so your knees do not drop in during the exercise.  

The hamstrings work with the glutes to extend your hips. However, because your knees are bending at the same time, the length of the hamstrings doesn’t change much, so their involvement is relatively low compared to the quads. The three hamstrings are semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris.

Get more from pendulum squats while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these guidelines:

Important Note: There are lots of different pendulum squat machine manufacturers and designs, and each one works slightly differently. Make sure you use the pendulum squat at your gym according to any instructions provided with the machine or as directed by the gym staff.

Not sure if pendulum squats are worth adding to your leg workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!

While pendulum squats are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a few drawbacks to consider:

Pendulum squats are a highly effective leg exercise, but not all gyms have one. The good news is that there are several alternatives you can use, so you don’t have to miss out:

Like the pendulum squat, the leg press allows you to work your legs with plenty of back support and in relative comfort and safety. So, don’t worry if your gym doesn’t have a pendulum squat – the leg press provides most of the same benefits and effects.

Pro tip: Position your feet according to your training goal. A narrow stance puts more stress on the quadriceps, while a wider stance spreads the load between all of your lower body muscles more evenly.

The hack squat is another popular leg machine that emphasizes the quads. The pendulum squat works the glutes more than hack squats, but if you want to build bigger, more muscular quads, the hack squat is hard to beat.

Pro tip: Make hack squats even more quads-centric by moving your feet backward and allowing your heels to lift off the footplate as you descend. This variation was one of the Quad Father Tom Platz’s favorite leg-builders. 

Machines aren’t the only way to preferentially target your quadriceps. For example, the heels elevated goblet squat, sometimes called the cyclist squat, does an excellent job of emphasizing the quads without using machines. This exercise is ideal for home lifters.

Pro-tip: Hit your quads even harder with 1 ½ reps. Descend as usual, come halfway up, descend again, and then stand all the way up. This increases time under tension and training intensity.

Read more on heels elevated goblet squat.

The main disadvantage of barbell squats is that they tend to work all your lower body muscles fairly evenly. One way to mirror the demands of the pendulum squat and make them more quads-centric is to bring your feet in and adopt a narrower stance. Close stance squats require good mobility and balance, but if you can do them, you’ll definitely feel them in your quads more than regular squats.

Pro tip: Increase quads activation and squat deeper by placing your heels on bumper plates or one to two-inch high blocks.

Doing squats on a Smith machine eliminates the need to balance the weight and allows you to lean back and emphasize your quads. As an added benefit, you can set the weight catchers so that you won’t get trapped under a heavy barbell if you take your sets to failure.

Pro tip: Use a wider stance to increase adductor recruitment or a narrower stance to hit your quads more.

Goblet squats are a great way to work your quads, but a lack of balance can be an issue for some people. Leaning against a stability ball eliminates this problem. Also, using a stability ball allows you to push your feet forward, which increases quadriceps activation while supporting your lower back.

Pro tip: You can also do this exercise with a single kettlebell or medicine ball. Alternatively, hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.

Most people view weighted sled training as a conditioning workout. While pushing or pulling a sled will definitely pump up your heart rate and burn a ton of calories, it’s also effective for strength training and muscle-building.

Dragging a weighted sled backward is a very knee-friendly way to work your quads. This is a viable alternative if pendulum squats bother your knees or lower back.

Pro tip: You can also do this exercise hands-free by fixing the straps to a belt around your waist.

The pendulum squat is a great lower body exercise and is especially useful for targeting your quads and glutes. Pendulum squats guide your movements and support your lower back, making them safer for some lifters than regular squats.

Unfortunately, not all gyms have pendulum squat machines, but that’s okay as there are several exercises you can do that are more accessible and equally effective.

So, if your gym has a pendulum squat, think yourself lucky and enjoy all the benefits it has to offer. But, if you don’t have access to one, just use one of the seven alternatives we’ve listed in this guide.

Patrick Dale is an ex-British Royal Marine, gym owner, and fitness qualifications tutor and assessor. In addition, Patrick is a freelance writer who has authored three fitness and exercise books, dozens of e-books, thousands of articles, and several fitness videos. He’s not just an armchair fitness expert; Patrick practices what he preaches! He has competed at a high level in numerous sports, including rugby, triathlon, rock climbing, trampolining, powerlifting, and, most recently, stand up paddleboarding. When not lecturing, training, researching, or writing, Patrick is busy enjoying the sunny climate of Cyprus, where he has lived for the last 20-years.

An old athletics coach of mine once told me that a workout without squats is not really a workout. This...

The leg press is a great addition to any lower body training routine. Whether you use it to complement the...

Squats are the crowned king of leg exercises. Whether you want to build bigger quads, glutes, and hamstrings, increase your...

The third and greatest yet edition of the Shaw Classic is just a few weeks away, so the hype is...

Squats are the exercise that most lifters love to hate. They love how squats build muscle and strength in equal...

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where you’re at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Read more. Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis.

© Copyright 2010 - 2022 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

© Copyright 2010 - 2022 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.