Squat: Muscles Worked and How to Do It
TL;DR
The squat works your quadriceps as the main mover, straightening your knees as you stand back up. Your glutes and hamstrings extend your hips, your lower back keeps your spine braced, and your calves help stabilize your feet, making the squat one of the most complete lower-body exercises.
- Primary muscle:
- Quadriceps
- Secondary muscles:
- Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower back
Muscles worked
Your quadriceps are the primary mover in the squat, straightening your knees as you drive up out of the bottom position. The deeper you squat, the more work your quads take on.
Your glutes and hamstrings extend your hips alongside the quads, especially out of a deep squat. Your lower back braces your spine to keep your torso upright under the bar, and your calves help you stay balanced through your feet.
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How to do it
- This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack to just below shoulder level. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
- Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
- Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance described above which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances discussed in the foot stances section).
- Begin to slowly lower the bar by bending the knees and hips as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees. Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that is perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly.
- Begin to raise the bar as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Form tips
- Set your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes turned slightly out.
- Brace your core and keep your chest up as you bend your hips and knees together.
- Squat down until your hip crease is at or below your knee, keeping your knees tracking over your toes.
- Drive through your whole foot, not just your toes, as you stand back up.
- Keep your back straight throughout. Rounding under load shifts stress onto your spine.
Exercise details
| Equipment | Barbell |
|---|---|
| Level | Beginner |
| Mechanic | Compound |
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the squat work?
The squat is led by your quadriceps, with your glutes, hamstrings, lower back and calves all playing a supporting role. It is one of the most complete lower-body exercises, training almost every major muscle from your hips down.
How is the squat different from the leg press?
Both train your quads, glutes and hamstrings, but the squat is a standing, balanced lift that also demands core and lower-back bracing, while the leg press is seated and supported, letting you isolate your legs with less balance required.
More quadriceps exercises
Exercise instructions and photos come from the free-exercise-db library, public domain, the same library used inside the PR Streak app.
