Muscles worked
What the back squat trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set the rack. Put the J-hooks at about mid-chest height so you unrack with a small knee bend, not on your toes. Set the safety arms just below the bottom of your squat.
- 02
Grip and bar position. Grip the bar just outside your shoulders, squeeze your shoulder blades together and set the bar on the meaty part of your upper traps for high bar, or lower across the rear delts for low bar. Never on your neck.
- 03
Elbows and wrists. Pull your elbows down and slightly back so the bar is pinned by your back, not held up by your hands. Keep your wrists fairly straight.
- 04
Unrack. Stand straight up under the bar with both feet beneath it, then take two or three short steps back. Do not walk it far.
- 05
Stance. Feet about shoulder width or a little wider, toes turned out roughly 15 to 30 degrees. Weight spread across the whole foot, centered over mid-foot.
Step by step
How to do the back squat
- Bar stays over midfoot
- Bar rests on the upper back, below the neck
Descend 2s → Drive 1s → Stand 0.7s
Hatching marks the highlighted muscle groups.
- 01
Brace. Take a deep breath into your belly and sides, then tighten your trunk as if about to be pushed. Hold that air for the rep.
- 02
Descend. Break at the hips and knees together. Push your knees out in line with your toes and sit down between your heels, keeping the bar over mid-foot.
- 03
Reach depth. Go until the crease of your hip is level with or below the top of your knee, as deep as you can while your lower back stays neutral.
- 04
Drive up. Push the whole foot into the floor and let your chest and hips rise at the same rate, so the bar moves straight up over mid-foot.
- 05
Finish. Stand tall with hips and knees locked, squeezing your glutes without leaning back. Breathe out at the top, re-brace, then start the next rep.
- 06
Rack. After the last rep, walk forward until the bar touches both uprights, then bend your knees to set it in the hooks.
Cues to say in your head
- Big air, brace hard
- Knees out over toes
- Sit between your heels
- Bar over mid-foot
- Chest and hips together
- Spread the floor
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Knees caving in on the way up
Push your knees out in line with your toes for the whole rep. If they still cave, lower the weight until you can hold that line.
Not reaching depth
Squat until your hip crease is at or below your knee. Lower the weight or use a box set at parallel to learn where depth is.
Hips shooting up first out of the bottom
Your chest and hips should rise at the same rate. If your hips race ahead, the load turns into a good morning; think chest up and drive your upper back into the bar.
Heels lifting or weight on the toes
Keep the bar over mid-foot and grip the floor with your whole foot. Limited ankle mobility often causes this; small heel lifts or squat shoes help.
Losing your brace and rounding at the bottom
Take a fresh breath before every rep and only go as deep as you can with a neutral lower back. A slight pelvic tuck at the very bottom is common; if your lower back visibly rounds, stop just above that depth and work on the position with lighter loads.
Bar sitting on the neck
Squeeze your upper back to make a shelf and set the bar on muscle. If it presses on bone, it is too high.
Stay safe
Squat inside a rack with the safety arms set just below your lowest position, so you can sit a missed rep down onto them. If you have to bail with no safeties, push the bar back off your shoulders and step forward away from it. Warm up with lighter sets before heavy work. Stop if you feel sharp pain in your knees, hips or back, or pain that runs down a leg, and get it checked by a qualified professional before squatting heavy again.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 5 | 3 to 6 | 80–90% 1RM | 3 to 5 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 6 to 12 | 67–80% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Technique | 3 to 5 | 5 to 8 | 50–65% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
145–175lb
3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, 2 to 3 min rest. Take sets close to failure with safeties set. Depth matters more than load here.
Warm up to 160 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 10 + 2.5
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Back Squat questions
What muscles does the back squat work?
Mainly the quads and glutes, with the adductors helping a lot at the bottom. Your lower back, abs and upper back work to hold the bar and keep your torso steady.
How deep should I squat?
Aim for your hip crease to be level with or below the top of your knee, which is the standard for a full squat. Go as deep as you can while keeping your lower back neutral and your heels down.
High bar vs low bar squat: which is better?
Neither is better for everyone. High bar sits on your traps, keeps you more upright and works the quads more; low bar sits lower on your rear delts, adds more forward lean and hip work, and usually lets you lift a bit more. Pick the one that feels solid and stick with it.
Is it OK for my knees to go past my toes?
Yes. Knees travelling forward past the toes is normal for most people in a full squat, and it is fine as long as your heels stay down and your knees track in line with your feet.
Is the Smith machine squat as good as a barbell squat?
It is a good leg builder and safer to take close to failure alone, but the fixed track takes away the balance work and changes where your feet go. Use it as a variation or accessory, not as a full replacement if your goal is barbell strength.
How many sets and reps of squats should I do?
For strength, 3 to 5 sets of 3 to 6 reps at about 80 to 90 percent of your max. For muscle, 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps. Most programs have you squat one to three times a week.
Train in Protocol
Log your back squat by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.