IntermediateCompoundGym

Back Squats: The Classic That Still Pays Rent

A barbell squat loads the hips and thighs together. Done with a brace and a depth you can own, it is one of the most useful strength exercises in the gym.

Back squat front view: start, midpoint, and finish with barbell — Back Squat movement illustrations

Back squat side view: start, midpoint, and finish with barbell — Back Squat movement illustrations

The prescription

Sets: 3–5 sets
Reps: 4–8 reps
Rest: 2 min 30 sec
Time: About 15 min

Equipment. Barbell, Squat rack

Muscles. quadriceps, gluteus maximus. Also adductors, erectors, core

Starting position

Set the bar on a rack at upper-chest height.
Step under it so the bar rests on the meat of your upper back, not your neck.
Stand up to unrack, take two short steps back, and set your feet about shoulder width.

How to move

Brace your trunk and keep your feet planted through the whole rep.
Sit the hips down and slightly back while the knees travel in the direction of the toes.
Go to the deepest position you can reverse without the heels lifting or the lower back rounding.
Drive the floor away and stand tall. Keep the bar path close to vertical.

Common mistakes

Letting the heels lift so the knees shoot far forward without a stable foot.
Collapsing the chest and rounding the lower back at the bottom.
Bouncing out of the hole instead of reversing with control.

Variations

High-bar squat
Tempo squat
Pause squat

Progressions

Add a little load when every rep stays crisp.
Add a one-second pause at the bottom.

Regressions

Goblet squat
Bodyweight squat

Safety

Stop if you feel sharp pain, joint pinch, or symptoms that are not ordinary muscle effort.
This is general technique education, not a personal clearance to train through an injury.
Use safeties or a rack with pins set just below your lowest position when you train alone.

All Cheeked Up publishes general fitness education. It is not medical advice, physical therapy, or a promise that your body will change. Stop any exercise that causes pain and talk with a qualified professional about injuries, pregnancy, or health conditions before you train.

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Programs that use it