Back Squat
The barbell squat — the heaviest-loadable lower-body strength lift, building quads, glutes, and trunk strength together.
Also called: barbell squat, barbell back squat
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Bar on the upper traps (not the neck), hands just outside the shoulders, elbows down. Step back, feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
How to do the Back Squat
- Big breath and brace before each rep — like you are about to be poked in the stomach.
- Sit down keeping the bar over the middle of your foot.
- Knees track out over the toes; chest stays proud.
- Descend to at least thighs-parallel if mobility allows, then drive up hard through the whole foot.
Back Squat muscles worked
The Back Squat works the quads, glutes, hamstrings and core.
Common Back Squat mistakes
- Rising hips-first so the lift turns into a good morning.
- Cutting depth as the weight gets heavy.
- Losing the brace and rounding at the bottom.
Scale it
Easier: Goblet squat, or squat to a box at a controlled depth.
Harder: Add load gradually, or add a controlled pause at the bottom.
Pairs well with
Deadlift
Lifting a barbell from the floor by hinging at the hips — the fundamental full-body strength lift for the posterior chain.
Goblet Squat
A front-loaded squat holding one weight at your chest — the friendliest way to load the squat pattern with an upright torso.
Kettlebell Swing
A powerful hip-snap projecting the kettlebell to chest height — explosive posterior-chain power and conditioning in one movement.
Leg Press
Pressing weight away from the body on a leg press machine — builds lower body strength with the back fully supported.