Exercise guide · Legs & Glutes

Barbell Squat

The barbell back squat builds your quads, glutes, and hamstrings by sitting down and standing up with a bar on your upper back. It is one of the most common lower-body strength exercises.

Targets: Quads
Equipment: Barbell
Type: Compound

Step by step

How to do the Barbell Squat

Set the bar in a rack around upper-chest height. Step under and rest the bar across your upper traps (high-bar) or rear delts (low-bar), gripping it wider than your shoulders.
Unrack by standing up and take one or two steps back. Set feet shoulder-width or slightly wider, toes turned out slightly.
Brace your core, fill your lungs, and keep your chest up. Break at hips and knees together to descend.
Sit down until your hip crease is at or below the top of your knee (depth depends on mobility and goals).
Drive through your mid-foot and heels to stand, keeping your knees tracking over your toes and your back braced.
Walk forward and re-rack the bar carefully after your last rep.

Form cues

Big breath and brace before each rep
Knees track over toes; do not cave inward
Chest stays proud; bar stays over mid-foot
Drive the floor away on the way up

Common mistakes

Heels lifting off the floor on the way down
Good-morning out of the bottom (hips rising before chest)
Knees collapsing inward
Bouncing out of the bottom or losing upper-back tightness

Muscles worked

Primary

Quads

Secondary

Glutes and Hamstrings

Safety: Use safety pins or spotter arms set just below your lowest comfortable depth. Ask for a spotter on heavy attempts near failure.

Alternatives

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