Trainers Break Down The Classic Lower-Body Exercise

Ready to get started? Here’s your complete guide to back squats, including how to do it properly, how to avoid common mistakes, and all the benefits you can expect from this lower-body exercise.

Meet the experts: Sarah Perc GracaA CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer. Get stronger with Sarah weight loss coaching. Marcel DinkinsCPT is a New York-based certified personal trainer, Peloton Tread instructor, and former Army officer.

Benefits of Back Squats

Lower Body Strength: Back squats help strengthen a variety of muscles, including your quads, glutes, hamstrings, inner thighs, and calves, says Perc Graca. Plus, if your goal is to build muscle mass in your legs, back squats are a great choice because the intense, multi-joint movement stimulates the release of growth hormone and testosterone, which are essential for muscle growth, recovery, and overall strength, she adds.

Stability and Adjustment: To balance the weight of the barbell, your body has to recruit your stabilizing muscles, which trains your muscles to work as a team to promote stability. Using your abdominal muscles to protect your hips during the squat also increases your core stability, says Perc Graça.

Mobility: Back squats improve mobility in your hips, knees, ankles, and shoulders as you come up from the squat, says Dinkins, and they kill two birds with one stone, she adds, because the increased range of motion will help you squat better and lift more weight.

Mental Strength: Back squats help you develop mental strength, confidence and resilience, says Perc Graça. “Doing back squats requires mental discipline and focus. It builds resilience and determination, which you can then transfer to other areas of your life. Lifting heavy weights also boosts your confidence and makes you feel unstoppable.”

Bone density: Back squats (and heavy weightlifting in general) help increase bone density, which is especially important for women, since they’re at higher risk for osteoporosis. osteoporosisPerc Graça says.

Functional Movement: Back squats mimic everyday movements like sitting down and standing up, and as we get older, incorporating functional movements is essential to help us continue doing the activities we love with ease, says Perc Graca.

FYI: If you have a previous or current injury to your back, knees, shoulders, or hips, Perc Graça recommends getting clearance from your doctor before doing back squats. Pregnant women should also get clearance from a medical professional, she adds.

How to do a back squat

Method:

1. Set up a squat rack with the weights you want, or just use a bar (optional: replace the barbell with a set of dumbbells).
2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing forward, holding a barbell on your upper back or dumbbells on your shoulders (think of your traps and shoulders, not your neck). Make sure the barbell is centered and not too far left or right.
3. Grip the barbell in a comfortable position, slightly wider than shoulder width. (Most barbells have a “pinky ring” – this will help you identify the correct place to grip the barbell, with your pinky finger wrapped around that mark.)
4. Engage your core and inhale as you lift the bar off the rack, taking a step back to avoid any obstacles, keeping your feet even and your spine in a neutral position.
5. Planting your feet firmly, bend your knees, push your hips back and squeeze your glutes, squatting until your glutes are slightly parallel for three seconds.
6. Keeping your torso straight, exhale and squeeze your glutes, pushing your legs up to return to the starting position. This is one repetition. Once you have completed all repetitions, return the bar to the rack.

Pro Tip: If you’re not ready to use a barbell, Perc Graça suggests starting with a PVC pipe or golf club to get familiar with the movement patterns and form.

How many back squats and how many sets should you do?

For strength: If your goal is to get stronger, Perc Graca says you should focus on lifting more weight for fewer repetitions — the goal is to increase the maximum force your muscles can produce.

• Repeat 1-6 times for 3-5 sets.
• Rest between sets is 2-5 minutes.

For Muscle Growth: According to Perc-Graca, hypertrophy training focuses on increasing muscle size through moderate to heavy weights and moderate to high repetitions. The goal is to maximize muscle fiber recruitment and tension time.

• Repeat for 3-5 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
• Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.

Beginners: Perc Graca says you should focus on form and do some lighter sets to strengthen your movement patterns and provide enough volume for muscle development.

• Repeat for 3-4 sets of 6-10 repetitions.
• Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.

How to do a back squat

To make changes in your body, you need to “overload” your muscles, so Perc-Graca and Dinkins suggest this progression:

• Increase weight: Increase the load you lift by adding 5 to 10 pounds at a time.
• Turn up the volume: Add in extra repetitions or sets.
• Play with tempo: Squat slowly (the eccentric phase of the squat) and increase the time you are under tension.You can also pause at the bottom of the squat for a second or two before pressing back up to the starting position.

How to Incorporate Back Squats into Your Training Plan

Generally, it’s best to start your workout with these (after a proper warm-up, of course). “This way you can give the most energy and focus to your back squat, while prioritizing the compound movements that will have the biggest impact on strength and muscle growth,” says Perc Graca.

Naturally, back squats are a cornerstone of your lower-body workout because of their focus on strength and muscle development, but you can also add them to a full-body workout because they work multiple muscle groups and help increase overall power, says Perc-Graca. Alternatively, try adding back squats to your upper- and lower-body workouts to provide ample recovery and a targeted workout, she adds.

As for how often you should do back squats, Perc Graca says that for most people, doing them one to three days a week is enough.

Common Back Squat Mistakes and How to Fix Them

• Not digging deep enough or trying to do too much: Squatting too shallow (not below parallel) or too deep (breaking form at the bottom) can shorten the movement or increase your risk of injury if your form breaks down, says Perc-Graca. Instead, focus on squatting down to at least parallel, with your hip creases below the top of your knees, she says. Use a box or bench as a depth guide if necessary.
• Bend your knees inward: This can cause knee pain and increase your chances of injury, so it’s best to actively push your knee outward during the movement, says Perc Graca. You can also wrap a resistance band around your knee to encourage proper knee alignment.
• Excessive leaning forward: This can throw you off balance and lead to back pain, so focus on keeping your chest high, says Perc Graça. You also want to make sure the barbell is positioned correctly over your trapezius muscles, and not too high above your neck.
• Lift your heels off the ground: Instead of shifting your weight onto your toes and lifting your heels, Perc Graça recommends distributing your weight evenly across your feet, especially through your heels. Placing a small weight plate under your heels can also help with proper distribution.
• Pushing through the pain: You shouldn’t feel any pain in your lower back, but if you do feel any discomfort, Perc Graça recommends strengthening your core and keeping your spine neutral throughout the squat. You should also start with light weights and gradually increase the weight as your form improves. Knee discomfortMake sure your knees aren’t too far forward and are in line with your toes, suggests Perc Graça. Strengthening the muscles around your knees, like your quadriceps and hamstrings, can also help reduce pain.

Back Squat Variations

According to Perc Graça, the following exercises work similar muscles to the back squat and are extremely effective:

Goblet Squat

Method:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a kettlebell or dumbbell in front of your chest and your elbows pointing toward the floor.
2. Push your hips back and bend your knees into a squat position.
3. Press through your heels to return to starting position. This is one repetition.

Bulgarian Split Squat

Method:

1. Stand about two feet in front of a box or staircase and extend your right leg back and place the top of your right foot on it. This is your starting position.
2. Keeping your shoulders back and chest up and hips facing forward, bend your right knee and lower yourself until it lightly touches the ground.
3. Pause, then press through your left heel to return to starting position. This is one repetition.

Step up

Method:

1. Stand facing a box or other sturdy, elevated surface with your hands on your hips (optional: for an extra level, place a barbell on your upper back and dumbbells on your shoulders.) Engage your core and raise your left foot onto the box.
2. Press through your left foot to extend your left leg again and drive your right knee up in front of your body, at hip height. Keeping your right knee bent at 90 degrees, balance your left leg on the box.
3. Return to starting position. This is one repetition.

Glute Bridge

Method:

1. Lie on the ground with your feet flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart, knees bent and angled slightly outwards, and arms on the floor at your sides.
2. Place the dumbbells comfortably on your hips, keeping your pelvis in a neutral position. (No weight option)
3. Engage your core and press through your heels to scoop your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your upper glutes as you reach a full extension in your lower back. Keep your ribs down (don’t arch your back) and your chin tucked slightly or keep your head neutral.
4. Slowly lower yourself while inhaling. This is one repetition.

Andi Breitwich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She’s a huge social media consumer and passionate about women’s rights, holistic health, and non-judgmental reproductive health. A former collegiate pole vaulter, she loves all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.