Back Squats

Back squat exercise is a fantastic exercise to strengthen your entire lower body, while also bringing the core and even the upper body into play.

It’s a perfect metabolic conditioning choice as well as it’ll help elevate your metabolic rate while also getting your heart rate up and keeping it there.

By choosing back squats over front squats, you’ll target your hamstrings and glutes more, taking some of the emphasis off the quads.

Back Squats Exercise How To

• Position yourself under a barbell in a squat rack with the feet slightly wider than hip width apart.  Note that you can turn the feet out slightly if desired.  Your hands should be holding the barbell slightly wider than shoulder width apart with the palms facing forward.
• Keeping your head up, unrack the barbell, take a deep breath and then slowly begin bending the knees as you lower yourself down into the rep.
• Come down as low as you can possibly go and then begin to press back up to the starting position. As you press up, exhale.
• Continue until all reps are completed.

Form and Technique

While doing this exercise, always keep the knees moving directly over the toes. Also make sure that you aren’t leaning too far forward.

A slight forward lean is permissible, but too much will place strain on the lower back.

Variations:   Front Squat, Smith Machine Squat

Routine for Strength:  3 sets x 12-15 reps

Routine for Muscle Gains:  4-5 sets x 6-8 reps

How To Do Back Squat