Squat (Barbell)

How to do it

1. Set the bar on the rack, step under it and rest it on your upper traps with your hands just outside your shoulders.
2. Unrack, step back and set your feet just outside shoulder width, toes turned out slightly.
3. Brace, then push your hips back and bend your knees to descend with the bar over mid-foot.
4. Go down until your hip crease is below the top of your knee.
5. Drive up through your whole foot and stand fully tall.

Key cues

• Elbows down under the bar
• Knees track over the toes
• Torso fairly upright
• Heels stay flat
• Stand all the way up

Common mistakes

• Knees caving in on the way up
• Cutting depth short
• Heels coming off the floor
• Bar drifting forward of mid-foot

Muscles worked

Primary

Quads, glutes, adductors and lower back

Secondary

Calves

Equipment

Barbell and squat rack.

Variations

• Squat (Smith Machine)

  Smith machine · Quads, glutes · Squat

• Squat (Dumbbell)

  Dumbbell · Quads, glutes · Squat

Programs that use it

• 3x5 Linear Progression
• 5x5 Linear Progression
• Greyskull LP
• GZCLP
• 5/3/1
• 5/3/1 Boring But Big
• nSuns 5/3/1 LP
• Texas Method
• Madcow 5x5
• Push Pull Legs
• PHUL
• Upper/Lower

References

1. StrengthLog: Squat
2. Stronger By Science: How to Squat
3. BarBend: Back Squat
4. YouTube: Jeff Nippard squat checklist