How to do the Barbell Full Squat
LegsQuadsBarbellIntermediate
The barbell full squat is one of the most complete lower-body builders ever developed, demanding strength, mobility, and control in equal measure. Master it and you build quads, glutes, and real-world power that no machine can replicate.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Quadriceps
Secondary
GlutesHamstringsCalves
Step-by-step
- Unrack the bar across your upper traps, feet shoulder-width apart with toes turned out 15 to 30 degrees.
- Brace your core hard, take a deep breath into your belly, and initiate the descent by pushing your knees out over your toes.
- Descend until your hip crease drops clearly below your knee line, keeping your chest tall and heels flat on the floor.
- Drive through the full foot to stand, squeezing your glutes at lockout and exhaling as you pass the halfway point.
Common mistakes
- Heels rising off the floor, which shifts load dangerously onto the knees, fix this by improving ankle mobility with daily calf stretches and elevating your heels temporarily until flexibility improves.
- Caving knees on the way up, which bleeds power and stresses the joint, fix this by actively cueing your knees to track over your pinky toe and using lighter load until the pattern is solid.
- Losing upper back tension and letting the torso collapse forward, fix this by retracting and depressing your shoulder blades before unracking and squeezing the bar hard throughout the entire set.
Pro tip — As you begin the descent, think about spreading the floor apart with your feet rather than just sitting down, this external rotation cue activates the hips earlier and keeps your knees stacked and powerful through the full range of motion.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps
Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).
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