Barbell Squat
The barbell squat is a compound lift where you rest a barbell across your upper back, sit down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then stand back up. It mainly builds your quadriceps, with your hamstrings, glutes and abs helping to drive and stabilise the movement. It suits beginners who learn it with an empty bar, and experienced lifters who want a demanding lower-body exercise they can load progressively.
Muscles worked
The Barbell Squat mainly works your quadriceps, with your hamstrings, glutes and abs helping.
Setting up
- Set the bar in a squat rack at roughly mid-chest height, so you can unrack it by standing up without tiptoeing. Set the safety arms or pins just below the bottom of your squat, so you can drop the bar onto them if you get stuck.
- Load the bar evenly and use collars. If you're new, start with just the empty 20kg bar and build up gradually.
- Step under the bar and rest it on the shelf of your upper back, below the bony bump at the base of your neck, not on the neck itself. Grip the bar just outside your shoulders and pull your shoulder blades together to hold it firmly in place.
- Stand up to unrack, take two or three small steps back, then set your feet about shoulder-width apart with your toes turned out slightly.
How to do the Barbell Squat
- Stand tall with the bar settled on your upper back, your chest up and your eyes on a spot on the floor a few metres ahead.
- Take a big breath into your belly and brace your abs as if you're about to be nudged in the stomach.
- Start the descent by pushing your hips back and bending your knees at the same time, as if sitting into a chair behind you.
- Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes and your chest lifted as you lower under control, until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
- Without bouncing, push the floor away through your whole foot, keeping your heels down, and drive back up, leading with your chest rather than your hips.
- Stand fully tall at the top and squeeze your glutes, then take a fresh breath and brace again before the next rep.
Form tips
- Keep your weight over the middle of your foot. Imagine your whole foot gripping the floor, with your heels staying planted throughout.
- Squeeze the bar down into your back and keep your elbows pointing down, not flaring up, so the bar stays still and your chest stays proud.
- Think of spreading the floor apart with your feet as you go down and back up. This helps keep your knees in line with your toes.
- Breathe in and brace before each rep, and hold that tension on the way down and through the hardest part of the way up. Breathe out once you're past it.
- Film a set from the side and front on a light weight. It's the quickest way to check your depth and knee position.
Common mistakes
Knees caving inwards
Lower the weight and push your knees out in the same direction as your toes. Picture pressing the outsides of your feet into the floor as you stand up.
Hips rising faster than the chest
This turns the squat into a good morning, with your torso tipping forward. Keep your chest up, brace harder, and drive your upper back into the bar as you stand. Reduce the load until you can keep your torso angle the same all the way up.
Heels lifting off the floor
Shift your weight back toward the middle of your foot and sit your hips back as you descend. If your heels still lift, try wearing flat, firm-soled trainers or weightlifting shoes, and work on ankle mobility.
Cutting depth short
Lower the weight and squat to a point where your thighs are parallel to the floor. Setting a box or bench at that height to lightly touch can help you find it. Don't bounce off it.
Sets and reps
| Build strength | 4-5 sets of 3-5 reps with a challenging weight, resting 2-4 minutes between sets. |
|---|---|
| Build muscle | 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, resting 90-120 seconds between sets. |
| Fat loss and general fitness | 2-3 sets of 12-15 reps with a lighter weight you can control, resting 60 seconds, as part of a full-body session 2-3 times a week. |
Pick a weight where the last rep or two of each set is hard but your form stays clean. When every set feels easy, it's time to go up.
Barbell Squat alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Barbell Squat FAQs
How low should I squat?
Aim for at least parallel, where the crease of your hip is level with the top of your knee. Only go as deep as you can while keeping your heels down and your back position steady. If you can't reach parallel yet, squat to a comfortable depth and build up over time.
How much weight should a beginner squat with?
Start with the empty 20kg bar and practise until the movement feels smooth and controlled. Then add small amounts, such as 2.5-5kg at a time, while keeping the same form. Your last rep of each set should look like your first.
Do I need a spotter for barbell squats?
Not if you use a squat rack with the safety arms set just below your bottom position. If you can't complete a rep, sit back and lower the bar onto them. Never squat heavy outside a rack, and stop if you feel pain and get it checked.
Track your Barbell Squat progress
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