Setup and loading
Bar resting on your upper traps, not on your neck. Grip slightly wider than shoulder width with elbows under the bar.
How to do the barbell back squat step by step
- Unrack the bar with your feet under it and take two steps back.
- Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Take a deep breath and brace your core.
- Descend by pushing your hips back and your knees out at the same time, until your hip crease drops below your knee.
- Drive up by pushing the floor away with your whole foot, keeping your chest up.
Form cues
- Knees track in line with your toes
- Weight spread between heel and forefoot
- Rigid torso: the bar travels in a straight line over midfoot
Common mistakes
- Knees caving in on the way up
- Heels lifting off the floor
- Losing your lower-back arch at the bottom
Sets and reps for your goal
Max Strength
4-5 x 3-5 · rest 3 min3-6 sets of 1-6 reps at 80-90% of your max (1RM). Rest 2 to 5 minutes.
Leave 1-3 reps in reserve. If your technique breaks down, lower the weight: strength is built with good reps.
Hypertrophy
3-4 x 6-10 · rest 2 min3-4 sets of 6-12 reps (up to 15-20 on isolation exercises) at 65-80% of your max. Rest 1 to 2 minutes.
Get close to failure (0-3 reps in reserve) and control the lowering for 2-3 seconds. Accumulate 10-20 sets per muscle per week.
Power
4-6 x 2-4 at 30-60% · maximum speed on the way up · rest 2-3 min3-6 sets of 1-5 reps with light or moderate loads (30-60% of your max on the main lifts), or with a ball or your bodyweight. Rest 2 to 3 minutes.
Every rep at the highest possible speed. As soon as you notice it moving slower (a 10-20% velocity loss), end the set. Train power fresh, never fatigued.
A guide for healthy adults. Adjust the load to your level and see a professional if you have an injury.
Check your form
Film yourself from the side or ask someone to watch, then tick what you get right.
Sports it suits
Gear for this exercise
- Olympic barbell and platesTo keep progressing on the big lifts with heavy loads.
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