Barbell Back Squat

oec:barbell-back-squat

A foundational compound lower-body exercise where a barbell is supported across the upper back while squatting to parallel or below.

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Also called: Back Squat, Barbell Squat, Squat, high bar squat, low bar squat, Squats, Barbell Full Squat

How to do it

Set the barbell in a rack at approximately mid-chest height.
Step under the bar, positioning it securely across your upper trapezius (or rear deltoids for low-bar), and grip the bar firmly outside shoulder width.
Inhale, brace your core, unrack the bar by extending your knees and hips, and take two to three deliberate steps backward.
Establish a stable stance roughly shoulder-width apart with your toes angled slightly outward.

Take a deep breath into your abdomen and brace your core firmly.
Initiate the descent by simultaneously bending at the hips and knees, allowing your knees to track in line with your toes.
Descend smoothly until the crease of your hip is parallel with or slightly below the top of your knee.
Drive through your midfoot to reverse the motion, extending your knees and hips smoothly until returning to the upright starting position.
Exhale near the top of the lift and reset your brace before the next repetition.

Inhale and perform a Valsalva brace before descending, holding your breath through the sticking point, and exhale upon completing the ascent.

Knees collapsing inward (valgus collapse) during the ascent.: Push the knees outward in line with your toes and actively spread the floor with your feet.
Excessive forward torso lean causing the hips to rise much faster than the chest (good-morning squat).: Maintain abdominal bracing, keep the chest proud, and focus on driving your shoulders into the bar as you ascend.
Heels lifting off the ground at the bottom of the squat.: Distribute your weight evenly across the tripod of your foot and work on ankle dorsiflexion mobility.

Set safety pins or spotter arms in the rack just below your full depth to catch the barbell if you fail a rep.

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