- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternSquat
- Reps3 to 12 reps
- Joint loadKnee and Lower back
Set the bar in a rack at about upper chest height. Step under it, rest it across your upper back and grip it just outside your shoulders, then stand up and step back with feet about shoulder width apart.
First cueKeep your knees in line with your toes.
How to do the Back Squat
Set up. Set the bar in a rack at about upper chest height. Step under it, rest it across your upper back and grip it just outside your shoulders, then stand up and step back with feet about shoulder width apart.
- Brace your stomach and take a breath.
- Bend your hips and knees together to sit down between your heels.
- Go as deep as you can while keeping your back flat and heels down.
- Drive up through the whole foot to stand tall.
Form cues
- Keep your knees in line with your toes.
- Keep your chest up.
- Keep the bar over the middle of your feet.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees cave inward.
- Rising with the hips first so the chest drops.
Take care. Squat inside a rack with the safety pins set just below your lowest point, so a missed rep can be set down.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
On the way: Glutes, Hamstrings and Lower back.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Back Squat, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Romanian Deadlift Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Back Squat first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Back Squat 3 × 3 to 12 reps
- Romanian Deadlift 3 × 6 to 12 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Goblet Squat
Kettlebell
Gym or cable swap
Smith Machine Squat
Smith machine
Less load on the lower back
Leg Press
From the app's workaround table: less load through a bending spine.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Front Squat, Hack Squat, Smith Machine Squat, Pause Squat, Belt Squat, Goblet Squat, Leg Press and Box Squat.
Do before it: Ankle Mobilisation (ankle range), 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range), Bodyweight Squat (same movement, lighter) and Goblet Squat (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Back Squat is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Back Squat?
Set up: Set the bar in a rack at about upper chest height. Step under it, rest it across your upper back and grip it just outside your shoulders, then stand up and step back with feet about shoulder width apart. Steps: 1. Brace your stomach and take a breath. 2. Bend your hips and knees together to sit down between your heels. 3. Go as deep as you can while keeping your back flat and heels down. 4. Drive up through the whole foot to stand tall. Form cues: Keep your knees in line with your toes. Keep your chest up. Keep the bar over the middle of your feet. Common mistakes: Letting the knees cave inward. Rising with the hips first so the chest drops. Take care: Squat inside a rack with the safety pins set just below your lowest point, so a missed rep can be set down.
What muscles does the Back Squat work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes, hamstrings and lower back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Back Squat?
At home: Goblet Squat. In a gym: Smith Machine Squat. With less load on the lower back: Leg Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Back Squat with?
Good partners in the same workout are Romanian Deadlift, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Back Squat be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.