Fysiqal

Squat · Intermediate

Back Squat

Compound squat exercise using barbell, squat rack.
Back Squat demonstration (no audio).
Movement pattern
Squat
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Barbell, Squat rack
Mechanics
Compound
Sides
Bilateral
Main plane
Sagittal

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How to do the Back Squat

Cues reviewed by Kwabena Osei on

Setup

Bar sits on the upper traps/rear delts (not the neck), feet shoulder-width, toes turned out slightly. Brace your core and take a big breath before unracking.

  1. Break at the hips and knees together -- don't let the hips shoot back first.

  2. Descend until your hip crease drops at least level with your knee, keeping the bar path vertical over your midfoot.

  3. Drive up by pushing the floor away, keeping your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.

  4. Don't lock your knees out hard at the top -- stand to full hip/knee extension without slamming into a rigid lockout.

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving inward on the way up (valgus collapse) -- usually a hip-drive or glute-strength issue, not something to fix by just "thinking about" the knees.

  • Losing the brace at the bottom, causing the lower back to round under load.

Muscles worked

Primary

Secondary

How the knowledge graph models this movement

Each joint action, with the role and emphasis the graph assigns each muscle. These are qualitative anatomical labels, not measured muscle activation.

  • Knee extensionprimary action

    Rectus femoris (synergist, moderate emphasis); Vastus lateralis (prime mover, high emphasis); Vastus medialis (prime mover, high emphasis); Vastus intermedius (prime mover, high emphasis)

  • Hip extensionprimary action

    Gluteus maximus (prime mover, high emphasis); Biceps femoris long head (synergist, moderate emphasis); Semimembranosus (synergist, moderate emphasis); Semitendinosus (synergist, moderate emphasis); Adductor magnus (prime mover, high emphasis)

  • Spine extensionsecondary action

    Erector spinae (stabilizer, high emphasis); Multifidus (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Quadratus lumborum (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Rectus abdominis (stabilizer, moderate emphasis); Transverse abdominis (stabilizer, moderate emphasis)

  • Ankle plantarflexionsecondary action

    Soleus (stabilizer, low emphasis); Gastrocnemius (stabilizer, low emphasis)

Related exercises

All squat exercises →

From the Knowledge Library

Educational content only — not medical advice. Consult a qualified professional for individual guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy or medical conditions.