Barbell Squat
- Primary musclesQuads
- EquipmentBarbell
- LevelBeginner
- ForcePush
AtletIQ — a workout log: working weight, sets and reps for your goal and level.
Calculate your weight in the app-
01Starting position -
02Final position
-
01Starting position -
02Final position
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
What weight to use
Set your goal and fitness level — the AtletIQ app calculates the working weight and number of reps for "Barbell Squat".
- Working weight for your goal and fitness level
- Sets, reps and rest in your workout log
- Progress for every exercise
| Workout | Weight | Sets × reps |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35.5 kg | 3 × 10 |
| 2 | 40 kg | 3 × 8 |
| 3 | 33 kg | 4 × 12 |
How to do it
6 stepsSet the bar on a squat rack at the right height and step under it so it rests across the back of your shoulders, just below your neck.
Grip the bar with both hands, push up with your legs to lift it from the rack, and take a few small steps back.
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and toes turned slightly out. Keep your head neutral and your back straight.
Inhale and bend your knees and hips to lower yourself slowly until your thighs reach about parallel to the floor.
Exhale and push through your heels to stand back up, keeping your chest lifted.
Repeat for the planned reps, then walk the bar forward and rack it before letting go.
Rounding or over-arching your back is the most common fault. Brace your abs before each rep and cut the weight if you cannot hold a neutral spine.
Squatting inside a rack with safety bars set at the right height lets you bail out safely if you get stuck.
If a barbell is hard on your back, goblet squats or the leg press give similar leg work with less spinal load.
Similar exercises
All Quads exercises · 86
AtletIQ app
A workout log with working weight calculation: program, sets and progress on your phone.