Exercises · Quads and glutes · Barbell

Barbell back squat

How to do it

1. Set the bar on your upper back and stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
2. Brace your core, then sit down and back until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
3. Stand back up, keeping the bar moving over the middle of your feet.

Form cues that help

• Take a big breath into your belly and keep your trunk tight through the whole rep.
• Let your knees travel in line with your toes.
• Keep your whole foot on the floor and your chest proud.
• Set your depth and stance the same way every session so your logged sets compare fairly.

Common mistakes

• Knees caving in. Push them out in line with your toes.
• Heels lifting. Stay balanced over the middle of your foot.
• Cutting depth. Pick a depth, at least parallel, and hit it on every rep.
• Folding forward. If your chest drops first, the weight is probably too heavy.

Alternatives and variations

• The goblet squat is a lighter, front-loaded way to learn the pattern.
• The leg press trains the quads and glutes on a machine.
• The lunge works one leg at a time.
• The Romanian deadlift and hip thrust add more work for the glutes.

How to progress it

Add reps until you can finish every set cleanly, then add a small amount of weight and start again. Squat in a rack with safety bars set just below your bottom position. Log every set so you can see the trend. See progressive overload.

See it moving in FollowSet

FollowSet has a 3D demo for the barbell back squat, with the working muscles highlighted, and it logs every set. Download it on the App Store.

General information, not medical advice. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knees, hips or back, and ask a qualified coach or clinician if you have an injury.