Barbell Back Squat
The king of leg exercises — trains the quads, glutes and core under the heaviest load you can safely move.
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Muscles worked
Also works
- Equipment
- Barbell, Squat rack
- Level
- Intermediate
- Tempo
- Lower 2 s · Lift 1.2 s
How to do the barbell back squat
- 1Set the bar on your upper back, grip it firmly and walk it out of the rack.
- 2Stand with feet about shoulder width, toes turned slightly out.
- 3Brace your core, then sit down and back between your hips.
- 4Descend until your hip crease is at or below your knees, knees tracking over your toes.
- 5Drive up through your whole foot to standing.
When to pick it: Pick it as your main lower-body strength lift, with safety bars set.
Form cues
- Big breath, brace, then descend
- Knees out over the toes
- Chest and hips rise together
Common mistakes
- Knees caving inward
- Heels lifting off the floor
- Hips shooting up first out of the hole
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time.
Equipment taken? Swap it for
These train the same muscles with different equipment.
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General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a health condition.