Barbell Back Squat Mistakes to Avoid
Knees caving inward — this stresses the knee ligaments. Actively push your knees out over your toes throughout the movement.
Good-morning squat (hips rise faster than shoulders) — means your quads are too weak relative to your posterior chain. Reduce weight and focus on staying upright.
Not hitting depth — cutting squats above parallel reduces quad and glute activation significantly. If you can't hit parallel, reduce weight or work on ankle/hip mobility.
Not bracing properly — breathing into your chest instead of your belly gives weak core support. Take a deep belly breath and brace like you're about to get punched.
Barbell Back Squat Muscles Worked
The barbell back squat primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes, with significant secondary work from the hamstrings, core, and erector spinae (lower back). It's one of the most complete lower body exercises available.
Barbell Back Squat FAQ
How deep should I squat?
At minimum, hip crease should reach knee level (parallel). Going deeper ('ass to grass') is fine if your mobility allows it and you maintain a neutral spine. Partial squats above parallel leave gains on the table.
High bar or low bar — which is better?
High bar (on traps) is more quad-dominant and requires more ankle mobility. Low bar (on rear delts) allows heavier loads and is more hip-dominant. Most general lifters do well with high bar. Powerlifters often prefer low bar.
Is squatting bad for your knees?
No — properly performed squats strengthen the muscles around the knee and actually protect the joint. Knees going past toes is fine and often necessary for full depth. Bad form and excessive weight cause knee issues, not squatting itself.
How much should I be able to squat?
Bodyweight on the bar for 1 rep is a good beginner milestone (e.g., 80kg person squats 80kg). Intermediate is 1.5x bodyweight. Advanced is 2x bodyweight. These are general guidelines — individual variation is large.