Barbell Back Squat

High overall stimulus, high systemic fatigue. The foundation of lower-body strength.

• Compound
• Barbell
• Intermediate

How to do it

• Bar on your mid traps, not on your neck
• Break at the hips and knees together; knees track over your toes
• Go at least to parallel while keeping a neutral lower-back arch
• Push the floor away with your whole foot, heel planted

Sets, reps and tempo

Ranges: 5–8 reps for strength · 8–12 for hypertrophy · 1–3 RIR

Tempo: Lower for 2–3 s under control, drive up with intent without bouncing out of the bottom

Common mistakes

• Letting your heels lift or rolling onto your toes
• Rounding your lower back coming out of the hole (pronounced butt wink under load)
• Cutting the range well above parallel

Muscles worked

Primary

• Quads
• Glutes

Secondary

• Hamstrings
• Core / abs
• Erectors / lower back

Alternatives

• Leg Press
• Front Squat
• Alternating Dumbbell Forward Lunge