Squat (Barbell)
With a barbell across the upper back, sit the hips down between the heels until the thighs are at least level, then stand. Also called Back Squat, Barbell Back Squat and Squat.
- 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.
Knee Box Squat (Barbell)Try it if it feels okay
A box at or above parallel stops the knee short of a deep bend.
When it stalls, these usually help
Kills the bounce out of the hole, so the legs do the work the stretch reflex was doing.
Upright torso and a lighter bar that still trains the drive out of the bottom.
A stronger lower back holds your position as the weight climbs.
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.