Barbell Back Squat

Quads, GlutesBarbell, Power Rack

The barbell back squat is the backbone of strength training. The bar sits across your upper back and the whole body works as one unit — legs drive, torso holds. Nothing else builds strength this fast, and nothing else punishes sloppy technique as quickly.

How to do it

1Set the bar in the rack at mid-chest height. Step under it and rest it on your upper traps or slightly lower on the rear delts — on muscle, never on bone.

2Grip just outside shoulder width, pull your shoulder blades together and build a shelf for the bar. Elbows point down and back, chest open.

3Unrack and step back once or twice. Feet shoulder width or slightly wider, toes turned out a little.

4Breathe into your belly and brace your abs like you are about to take a punch. That brace is what protects your lower back.

5Start hips and knees together: hips travel back and down, knees track out over your toes.

6Descend as deep as your lower back stays neutral. For most people that is just below parallel.

7From the bottom drive the floor away through the whole foot, hips and chest rising together. Exhale once past the hardest part.

Common mistakes

Knees caving in on the way up — push them out from the very first inch, not after you have already started rising.

Lower back rounding at the bottom. You are going deeper than your hips currently allow: stop higher.

Heels lifting off the floor. Drive through the midfoot and heel; the toes are only for balance.

Chin pointing at the ceiling, which hyperextends the neck. Fix your eyes on a spot a couple of metres ahead on the floor.

Bar resting on your neck instead of your back muscles. Move it lower and build that shelf with your shoulder blades.

Breathing

Breathe in at the top, hold through the descent and the first half of the drive, exhale once the hardest part is behind you. The hold is not optional showmanship — it creates the abdominal pressure that supports your lower back. If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, this kind of breath-holding is not for you; there are variations without it.

Make it harder or easier

For the first few weeks squat in a rack with the safety pins set — a failed rep simply lands on them.

Stance width is personal: try three widths and keep the one where you sink deepest without your lower back rounding.

Weight follows technique, never the other way round. Adding load to a movement that is not yet solid only cements the fault.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.