Back squat

What it is

A squat with the barbell resting across your upper back, lowering your hips down and back and driving up. It is the benchmark lower-body strength movement.

Muscles worked

Primary: Quadriceps, Glutes. Secondary: Adductors, Hamstrings, Spinal erectors, Core.

How to perform it

1. Set the bar on your upper traps (high bar) or rear delts (low bar), grip just outside the shoulders, and un-rack it by standing up and stepping back.
2. Set your feet about shoulder-width, toes turned out slightly, and brace your core as if about to be punched.
3. Break at the hips and knees together, lowering under control until your hip crease is at least level with the top of your knee.
4. Drive through the whole foot to stand back up, keeping your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.

Common form faults

• Knees caving inward on the way up. Consciously push the knees out to track over the toes; strengthen glutes and reduce load if it only happens when heavy.
• Heels lifting or weight shifting onto the toes. Keep weight mid-foot, widen the stance slightly, and consider mobility work or a small heel raise for ankle range.
• Rounding the lower back at the bottom ('butt wink'). Stop just above the depth where it happens, brace harder, and work on hip mobility; don't chase depth you can't control.

Programming

A staple main lift. Strength work often sits around 3–6 reps, hypertrophy around 6–12. Warm up in ramped sets and progress gradually.