Exercise guide

Barbell back squat: muscles worked and how to do it

The back squat trains your legs and hips with a barbell across your upper back. GymTribe's exercise library lists it as High-bar back squat, with the quads as its target muscle.

How to do a back squat

Set the bar in the rack at about mid-chest height. Step under it so it rests on your upper traps, not your neck.
Grip the bar just outside your shoulders, stand up to lift it out of the rack, and take two or three short steps back.
Set your feet about shoulder-width apart with your toes turned out slightly.
Take a breath, brace your midsection, and bend your hips and knees together, keeping your knees in line with your toes.
Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, or as deep as you can while your back stays flat.
Push through your whole foot to stand back up, then breathe out before the next rep.

These steps describe common technique. If something hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or clinician.

Common back squat mistakes

Knees caving in
Push your knees out over your toes as you stand up.
Heels lifting
Keep your weight across the whole foot. A slightly wider stance can give your ankles more room.
Chest dropping forward
Brace before every rep and keep the bar over the middle of your foot.
Squatting shallower as the weight goes up
Keep the same depth on every rep, so your log compares like with like.

How to track your back squat

Log the weight and reps of every set. Over a few weeks, the heaviest weight you lift and your estimated one-rep max show whether you are getting stronger, even when your sets use different rep counts.

Estimated 1RM, Epley formula

100 kg × (1 + 5 ÷ 30) ≈ 117 kg

A set of 5 at 100 kg estimates a one-rep max of about 117 kg.

Try the 1RM calculator →Strength tracking in GymTribe →

Barbell back squat questions

What muscles does the back squat work?

Mostly the quads, with the glutes, adductors and hamstrings, while your lower back and core hold your torso upright. In GymTribe's muscle map, each set of High-bar back squat counts toward the quads.

What is the difference between a high-bar and a low-bar squat?

In a high-bar squat the bar sits on your upper traps and your torso stays more upright. In a low-bar squat it sits lower, across the back of your shoulders, so you lean forward more and your hips share more of the work.

How deep should you squat?

Many lifters aim for thighs at least parallel to the floor. Go as deep as you can with a flat back and your heels down, and keep the same depth every session so your numbers compare.

How do I estimate my squat one-rep max?

Use the Epley formula, weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30). A set of 5 at 100 kg estimates about 117 kg. The 1RM calculator on this site does the sum for any set.

How do I track my squat in GymTribe?

Log each set's weight and reps under High-bar back squat. Every session adds a point to its charts: heaviest weight and estimated 1RM, best set volume and most reps, and best session volume and max session reps. A New PR alert appears when a set beats your heaviest weight, estimated 1RM or rep record.