Half Squat (Barbell)
A back squat that stops around parallel or slightly above, never passing 90 degrees at the knee.
- Pattern
- Squat
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Works
- Quads, glutes, lower back
- Loads
- Hips, knees, ankles, lower back
If something hurts
Not medical advice. Sharp pain, numbness or swelling needs someone qualified to look at it.
Each swap below spares one joint.
Lower back Belt Squat
Loads the legs without the bar on the spine.
Hip Sissy Squat
Knee-only movement; the hip barely moves.
When it stalls, these usually help
Direct work for your glutes, which this lift also depends on.
Direct work for your lower back, which this lift also depends on.
How Swolver coaches it
This lift is read from your own sessions. When it goes flat for four weeks, Swolver names the likely cause in plain words, such as weekly sets that dropped, and the one change to make. The rules are all on the method page.