Kneeling Squat to Bench

Glutes, QuadsBench

Kneeling squats to a bench isolate the glutes and quads while keeping spinal axial loading to a minimum.

How to do it

1Kneel on a soft mat in front of the bench with your torso upright.

2Control the movement as you lower your hips back onto the bench using your thighs.

3Pause at the bottom for a second while keeping tension in the muscles.

4Drive your hips forward by squeezing your glutes to return to the start.

5Lock out tall at the top without arching your lower back.

Common mistakes

Dropping fast onto the bench and losing muscle tension.

Arching your lower back at the top, overloading the spine.

Using momentum and rocking your torso instead of using the target muscles.

Breathing

Inhale smoothly as you lower your hips. Exhale as you drive back up.

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.