Squat

How to Perform the Squat

Position the barbell on your upper traps (high bar) or rear deltoids (low bar) and step back from the rack with feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly pointed out. Take a deep breath, brace your core, and initiate the descent by simultaneously bending at the hips and knees. Descend until your hip crease drops below your knee, then drive up through your heels and mid-foot to return to the standing position. Maintain a neutral spine throughout.

Muscle Activation

The squat is a compound movement that works the entire lower body. The quadriceps are the primary knee extensors, while the glutes and hamstrings drive hip extension. The erector spinae and core muscles work to maintain an upright torso. The adductors help stabilize the knees, and the calves assist in ankle stability. No other exercise loads as much total muscle mass as the barbell squat.

Common Mistakes

• Allowing the knees to cave inward, which can stress the ligaments and reduce power output.
• Cutting depth short by not reaching parallel, which limits glute and hamstring development.
• Excessive forward lean caused by poor ankle mobility or weak quads.
• Lifting the heels off the ground during the descent, indicating ankle mobility issues.

Variations

The front squat shifts emphasis to the quads and requires more upper back strength. Goblet squats are beginner-friendly and teach proper squat mechanics. Box squats develop explosive power out of the bottom position. Pause squats build strength at the bottom position by removing the stretch reflex.

Programming Tips

Squat 2-3 times per week with varying intensity. For strength, use 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps at 80-90% of 1RM. For hypertrophy, use 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 65-75%. Always warm up progressively, starting with the empty bar and building to your working weight in incremental jumps.