squat to parallel or lower, as long as your heels stay down and your lower back stays flat. Your knees can go past your toes, as long as they track over your feet and don't cave in.If you've never squatted with weight, start with a dumbbell held at your chest: 6 kg (13 lb) for women, 8 kg (18 lb) for men. Once a 12–16 kg (26–35 lb) dumbbell feels easy, move to the empty bar and add 1–2.5 kg (2.5–5 lb) per session while your form holds. Going deep gives you more: in a 2019 study, full squats grew the glutes by 6.7% in 10 weeks, and half squats by only 2.2%. If this is your first time in a gym, start with our gym workout plan for beginners.
A barbell squat is an exercise where you hold a bar across your upper back, lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower, and stand back up. Your quads, inner thighs and glutes do most of the work, while your back and abs keep your torso steady. The form comes down to five steps. Rest the bar on the muscles of your upper back. Set your feet shoulder-width apart. Take a breath and brace your abs. Push your hips back and down, keeping your knees in line with your toes. Stand up so your chest and hips rise together. Your first barbell weight is the empty 20 kg (45 lb) bar, or a 15 kg (33–35 lb) women's bar if your gym has one. Do 3 sets of 8–10 reps twice a week.
Barbell squat form, step by step
Each step tells you what to do and how to check yourself.
- Bar and rack. Set the J-hooks at mid-chest height: you should be able to unrack the bar by standing up slightly, not by going up on your toes. Step under the bar and rest it on the tensed muscles of your upper back, just below the bony bump at the base of your neck. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, elbows pointing down and a little back. Unrack the bar, take two steps back and don't move your feet again. Check: if the bar presses on your neck, move it lower and squeeze your shoulder blades together harder.
- Stance. Heels shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward or slightly out. Spread your weight across your whole foot: big toe, little toe and heel pressed into the floor. Check: wiggle your toes. If they move freely, your weight hasn't shifted onto the balls of your feet.
- Descent. Before you go down, take a deep breath into your belly, about 80% of a full breath. Hold it and brace your abs as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach. Your hips move back and down at the same time, and your knees follow the line of your toes. Your torso leans forward, but your back stays flat. Lower yourself under control instead of dropping. Check: on video from the side, your torso and shins should look roughly parallel.
- Depth. Go down until your hip joint is level with your knee or slightly below it. The top of your thigh is then parallel to the floor. Going lower is fine if your heels stay down and your lower back doesn't round. Check: on video, find the point where your lower back starts to round. Your working depth is just above it.
- Ascent. Push the floor away with your whole foot. Your chest and hips rise at the same speed, so your hips don't shoot up first. Breathe out once the hardest part of the lift is behind you. Stand fully upright at the top, but don't arch your lower back. Check: if your hips go up while your chest drops toward your knees, the weight is too heavy for now.
Keep your head in line with your back for the whole set and look straight ahead. That makes balance easier and takes strain off your neck.
High bar or low bar? In a high-bar squat, the bar sits on top of your upper traps and your torso stays more upright. In a low-bar squat, it sits an inch or two lower, across the back of your shoulders, and your torso leans further forward. Beginners usually find the high bar easier.
How much weight to start with and how many reps
Your starting weight depends mostly on how you squat right now, not on your age. Find your row. These aren't standards, just a typical path with two sessions a week.
| Where you are now | Where to start | Sets × reps | When to move on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Never squatted with weight | 2 sessions with no weight, then a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest: 6 kg (13 lb) for women, 8 kg (18 lb) for men | 3 × 12–15 | 15 clean reps to parallel two sessions in a row: pick a heavier dumbbell |
| A 12–16 kg (26–35 lb) dumbbell at your chest feels easy | Empty 20 kg (45 lb) bar; for women, a 15 kg (33–35 lb) bar if the gym has one | 3 × 8–10 | Every set at the same depth with a flat back |
| The empty bar feels solid and your form holds | Add 1–2.5 kg (2.5–5 lb) once every set leaves reps in reserve | 3 × 8–10 | You get 1–2 reps more than the target: add weight |
| You can no longer add weight every session | Two different days: heavy and light | 4 × 6–8 and 3 × 10–12 | The weight goes up every 1–2 weeks, and that's normal |
Size your jumps with the American College of Sports Medicine rule. It recommends 8–12 reps per set for beginners and adding 2–10% to the weight once you can do 1–2 reps more than your target. On an empty 20 kg bar, 2.5 kg is already 12.5%. So make your first jumps 1 kg (2.5 lb): 0.5 kg plates on each side, or 1.25 lb plates if your gym uses pounds. From 25 kg (55 lb) on, a 2.5 kg jump fits the rule.
If every session goes cleanly, a month of training, or eight sessions, adds roughly 8–12 kg (18–26 lb) to the bar: 1 kg per session at first, then 2.5 kg once you reach 25 kg. After that, reps get harder and the jumps come less often: once a week, then once every two weeks. For other ways to make your workouts harder besides adding weight, see our guide to progressive overload.
With 8–12 reps per set, 1–2 minutes of rest between sets is enough. With fewer than 8 reps and a heavy weight, rest 3–5 minutes.
Goblet squat, women
Goblet squat, menSquat depth: parallel or below
Parallel means your hip joint has dropped to knee level and the top of your thigh is parallel to the floor. Above that is a half squat. Below it is a full squat. Research favors depth.
In a 2019 Japanese study, 17 men squatted twice a week for 10 weeks: some did full squats, others did half squats. Their quads grew almost equally: 4.9% and 4.6%. But the glutes grew 6.7% versus 2.2%, and the adductors 6.2% versus 2.7%. Strength in the full squat went up 32% versus 11%.
In a 2013 Danish study, 17 male students squatted for 12 weeks, either deep or bending their knees only 60 degrees. The deep squatters gained more quad muscle and improved their squat jump more. Their strength went up about 20% in both the deep and the shallow squat. The shallow squatters got stronger mainly in their own half squat: +36% there, and only +9% in the deep squat.
Depth isn't a threat to your knees either. A 2013 review looked at more than 160 studies. The cartilage behind the kneecap is squeezed the most when the knee is bent at about a right angle. When you bend deeper, the contact area inside the joint grows and the pressure on the cartilage drops. The review's conclusion: with good technique and gradual weight increases, deep squats don't raise the risk of ligament or cartilage injuries. Half squats with weights you couldn't lift in a full squat, on the other hand, may wear down your knees and spine more over the years.
Don't go deeper than parallel if:
- your lower back rounds at the bottom and your pelvis tucks under (the "butt wink");
- your heels lift off the floor;
- you feel pain in your knee at depth, not just heaviness in your muscles.
In that case, squat down to the point where your back stays flat and your heels stay down. Work on ankle and hip mobility separately. The exercises are in our guide to mobility for beginners.
How to find your depth in one minute:
- Set your phone to the side at hip height and do 5 bodyweight squats as deep as you can.
- On the video, find the moment your lower back starts to round or your heels lift.
- Put a bench or box behind you at a height where you touch it just above that point. For the first few weeks, squat down until you lightly touch it.
Can your knees go past your toes?
"Don't let your knees go past your toes" has been gym wisdom for decades. Researchers put it to the test back in 2003.
Seven trained men squatted to parallel with a barbell that weighed as much as they did. In one version, their knees moved forward freely. In the other, a wooden barrier in front of their toes stopped them. When the knees were held back, the load on the knee dropped by 22%. But the load on the hip joint rose almost elevenfold, and the torso leaned further forward. The study's conclusion: holding the knees back shifts work from the knees to the hips and lower back. To spread the load properly, your knees will likely need to travel slightly past your toes.
How far your knees travel forward depends on the length of your thighs and shins and on your ankle mobility. Here's what to watch instead:
- your knee tracks over your foot and doesn't cave inward;
- your heel stays on the floor for the whole set;
- your knees don't slide forward before your hips start moving back.
Squat mistakes: how to spot them by feel and fix them
A mistake is easier to spot by how it feels. Find yours in the left column and check yourself on video.
| What you feel | What's wrong | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| The inside of your knee aches, your knees come together on the way up | Knees cave inward | Push your knees out in line with your toes, drop back one weight jump, add side steps with a band above your knees to your warm-up |
| You tip forward, your weight shifts to your toes | Heels lift off the floor | Push through your whole foot; if your ankles are tight, put thin plates under your heels for now and work on ankle mobility |
| Your pelvis tucks under at the bottom, your lower back feels tight after the set | Lower back rounds at the bottom | Squat only to the depth where your back stays flat; set a box behind you at that height |
| Your lower back "burns" on the way up, your chest drops toward your knees | Hips rise before your chest | Lower the weight; think "chest and hips up together"; for 2 weeks, do squats with a dumbbell at your chest (goblet squat) or a bar on the front of your shoulders (front squat) |
| Your neck feels strained, it's hard to keep your balance | Looking up at the ceiling, neck cranked back | Look straight ahead, head in line with your back |
| A bruise or pain on your neck under the bar | The bar sits on a neck vertebra | Lower the bar onto your tensed upper back muscles and squeeze your shoulder blades together |
| The bar rolls toward your neck, your elbows or wrists ache | Elbows pulled back and up, wrong grip width | Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, elbows down and a little back |
| The bar is heavy but your legs barely feel tired, your knees ache | Half squats with a heavy weight | Lower the weight and go back to full depth |
| Your torso collapses forward mid-set, or you feel dizzy | No breath before the rep, or holding your breath for the whole set | Breathe in and brace before every rep, breathe out after the hardest part of the ascent; if you feel dizzy, rack the bar and sit down |
Knees often cave in for two reasons: weak muscles that move your thigh out to the side, and tight ankles. So the cue "knees out" alone isn't enough: strengthen those muscles and work on ankle mobility separately.
film the first working set of every workout on your phone. From the side you'll see your depth, back and heels. From the front, your knees. Video catches mistakes you can't feel.
Knee or lower back pain when squatting: what to change
If your knee or lower back aches after squats, first check your form and how fast you've been adding weight. If one of the last two rows of the table sounds like you, see a doctor before you go back to the gym.
| Where and how it hurts | What to check | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Front of the knee, under the kneecap | Are you bouncing hard at the bottom? Have you been adding weight too often? | Cut the weight by 30%, take 2 seconds on the way down, do goblet squats or box squats to a light touch for 2 weeks |
| Inside of the knee | Do your knees cave in on the way up? | Feet slightly wider, toes slightly out, a band above your knees during the warm-up |
| Knees crack but don't hurt | Is there any swelling? | With no pain or swelling, cracking is usually harmless; warm up for 5–10 minutes before your sets |
| Lower back aches after a set | Do your hips rise before your chest? Does your lower back round at the bottom? Do you breathe in before each rep? | 2–3 weeks of front or goblet squats, depth only to where your back stays flat, a breath and brace before every rep |
| Lower back aches and your heels lift at the bottom | Is your ankle mobility good enough? | For now, thin plates under your heels or weightlifting shoes (shoes with a hard, raised heel); ankle mobility work |
| Cracking with pain, swelling, the knee locks up | — | Stop and see a doctor |
| Back pain shoots down your leg, your leg goes numb | — | See a doctor, not a trainer |
Don't squat through pain and don't mask it with painkillers just to get a workout in. Joint pain is a reason to change the exercise, not to push through.
If your back hurts, you can swap the barbell squat for Bulgarian split squats for a while. Your legs work one at a time, so you need less weight for the same load on the muscles. See how to do them in our guide to lunges.
Squat variations: back, front, goblet, Smith machine, dumbbell, sumo
Pick a variation based on your situation. The table shows what changes and who it suits.
| Variation | What changes | Who it's for and when | Where to start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Back squat: bar across your upper back | The heaviest working weight; works your entire lower body and core | The foundation for leg strength and muscle | Empty 20 kg (45 lb) or 15 kg (33–35 lb) bar |
| Front squat: bar on the front of your shoulders | Torso stays more upright, more work for the quads | Back squats bother your lower back | Empty bar; hold it with your fingers under the bar or with your arms crossed |
| Goblet squat: dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest | The weight in front helps keep your torso upright | Beginners and home workouts; past 20–24 kg (45–53 lb) it gets awkward to hold, and it's time for the barbell | 6 kg (13 lb) for women, 8 kg (18 lb) for men |
| Smith machine squat | The bar runs on rails and can't drift sideways | Your first month, fear of the barbell, coming back after a break | Feet slightly in front of the bar; check the bar weight, since it varies by model |
| Dumbbell squat with arms at your sides | No bar or rack needed | At home with no barbell; your grip gives out before your legs | Light dumbbells, 12–15 reps with reps to spare |
| Sumo or plié squat with a dumbbell | Wide stance, toes turned out more | You want more work for your inner thighs and glutes | The same dumbbell you use for goblet squats |
Dumbbells and kettlebells are the main way to squat at home. The form is the same as with a barbell. You just hold the weight at your chest or in your hands.
An 8-week barbell squat program
Two sessions a week, with 2–3 days of rest between them. Make squats your first exercise, right after the warm-up. For how to warm up and work up to your working weight, see our warm-up guide.
| Weeks | What you do | Sets × reps | When to move on |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Bodyweight squats, then goblet squats; film your form from the side | 3 × 12–15 | Every rep to parallel with a flat back, and a 12–16 kg (26–35 lb) dumbbell feels easy. If not, stay at this stage longer |
| 3–4 | Empty bar | 3 × 8 | 3 × 8 without losing depth two sessions in a row |
| 5–6 | +1–2.5 kg (2.5–5 lb) every session | 3 × 8 | Add weight only if the last session was clean and all 3 × 8 left 1–2 reps in reserve |
| 7–8 | A heavy day and a light day | 4 × 6 on the heavy day, 3 × 10 on the light day | If your form breaks down, go back one step |
If everything goes cleanly, you'll have roughly 24–28 kg (53–62 lb) on the bar by the end of week eight if you start with a 20 kg bar, and 19–21 kg (42–46 lb) if you start with a 15 kg bar. Go by your form, not the number.
Don't add weight if:
- the last rep of your last session was a grind;
- your depth got shallower or your lower back started to round;
- a joint hurts, not just tired muscles.
Who shouldn't do barbell squats and when to see a doctor
The barbell squat suits most healthy people. But in these cases, see a doctor first.
- Acute back pain or a flare-up of a herniated disc. Put a bar on your back only after your doctor clears you. Outside a flare-up, it's still your doctor's call.
- A recent knee injury: ligaments or meniscus. Don't squat until your doctor clears you.
- Knee or hip osteoarthritis. Choose your depth and weight together with your doctor.
- Pregnancy. A bar on your back is usually off the table. Talk to the doctor managing your pregnancy about bodyweight squats or squats with a light dumbbell.
- High blood pressure. Don't hold your breath for long under a heavy weight, and breathe out on the way up. Check with your doctor about how much to lift.
After 40, the plan is the same: empty bar, small jumps, depth only as far as your back stays flat. Age alone isn't a reason to give up squats.
See a doctor, not a trainer, if your knee is swollen, clicks with pain or locks up. The same goes for back pain that shoots down your leg or a leg that goes numb. And if the pain doesn't go away after 2–3 days of rest.
Tracking squats in the Sportygram app
If you track workouts in the Sportygram app, its exercise library has the barbell squat, front squat, dumbbell squat, Smith machine squat, sumo squat and plié squat. Each one has a photo, and the app shows the male or female version based on your profile. You log sets, reps and weight, and when you open an exercise, a chart shows how your weight climbs from workout to workout.
If your knee or back starts to hurt, you can swap the barbell squat for another variation right in your workout log. The exercise changes, and the rest of the workout stays as it was.
FAQ
How much weight should you start squatting with?
If you've never squatted with weight, start with a dumbbell at your chest: 6 kg (13 lb) for women, 8 kg (18 lb) for men. Once a 12–16 kg (26–35 lb) dumbbell feels easy, move to the empty 20 kg (45 lb) bar, or a 15 kg (33–35 lb) women's bar if your gym has one. Then add 1–2.5 kg (2.5–5 lb) per session as long as every rep hits the same depth.
How many times a week should you squat and how many sets?
Two sessions a week with 2–3 days between them is enough for a beginner. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 2–3 strength workouts a week and 8–12 reps per set for beginners. For squats, that's 3 sets of 8–10 reps. Once you can no longer add weight every session, you can split your week into a heavy day with 4 sets of 6–8 and a light day with 3 sets of 10–12.
What muscles do barbell squats work?
The quads, glutes and the adductors on the inside of your thigh do the most work. Those are the muscles that grew in the 10-week study from 2019. The hamstrings didn't grow from either full or half squats, so they need their own exercises, such as the Romanian deadlift.
Should women do barbell squats, and do squats grow your glutes?
Yes. The form and program are the same, and only the starting weight differs. Glutes grow more from full squats than from half squats: 6.7% versus 2.2% in 10 weeks. That study was done on men, though. If you want to focus on your glutes, add hip thrusts to your squats. See how in our guide to barbell hip thrusts.
Is it OK to squat below parallel?
Yes, if your heels stay down, your lower back doesn't round and your knee doesn't hurt. The 2013 review found no evidence that deep squats are more dangerous for healthy knees. The cartilage behind the kneecap is squeezed the most at a right-angle knee bend, and the pressure drops as you go deeper. If your back rounds at depth, squat to just above that point.
Smith machine or free barbell: which is better?
The Smith machine is good for your first month if the barbell scares you or you're coming back after a break: the bar runs on rails and can't drift sideways. On the other hand, the small muscles that keep you balanced work less. Once your form with the empty bar is solid, move to the free barbell.
Squats or leg press: which should you choose?
The leg press loads your legs while your back rests against a pad, so it's handy when your lower back aches. The squat also teaches you to hold your torso steady and balance under a free weight. Beginners benefit from both. Put squats first in your workout, and do the leg press later in the same session or on another day.
My knees hurt when I squat. Should I keep going?
If the pain is sharp, or your knee is swollen, clicks with pain or locks up, stop and see a doctor. If your knee just aches after a workout, check three things. Are your knees caving in? Are your heels lifting? Have you been adding weight too often? Cut the weight by 30% and do goblet squats for two weeks. If it doesn't get better, see a doctor.
The bottom line
- Form in 5 steps: bar on your upper back muscles, feet shoulder-width apart, a breath and braced abs, hips back and down with knees in line with your toes, chest and hips rising together.
- How to start: a 6–8 kg (13–18 lb) dumbbell at your chest, then an empty 20 kg (45 lb) bar (15 kg for women), 3 sets of 8–10 reps twice a week, adding 1–2.5 kg (2.5–5 lb) per session.
- Depth: to parallel or lower, as long as your heels stay down and your lower back stays flat. Over 10 weeks, full squats grew the glutes three times more than half squats.
- Your knees can go past your toes. Blocking them cuts the load on the knee by 22% but shifts it to your hips and lower back.
- If your knees hurt, check three things: knees caving in, heels lifting and adding weight too often. Swelling, a painful click or a numb leg means it's time to see a doctor.
Checklist before your set
- You've warmed up for 5–10 minutes and done a set with the empty bar.
- The bar sits on your upper back muscles, not on your neck, and your elbows point down.
- You've unracked the bar and taken two steps back.
- Heels shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out, whole foot on the floor.
- You've taken a belly breath and braced your abs.
- Hips go back and down, knees follow the line of your toes.
- Depth: to parallel or to your own point from the video.
- On the way up, your chest and hips rise together, and you breathe out after the hardest part.
Sources
- Kubo K., Ikebukuro T., Yata H. Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2019. — 17 men, 10 weeks: the glutes grew 6.7% versus 2.2% and the adductors 6.2% versus 2.7% in favor of the full squat, the quads grew equally, and the hamstrings didn't grow.
- Bloomquist K. et al. Effect of range of motion in heavy load squatting on muscle and tendon adaptations. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2013. — 17 male students, 12 weeks: deep squats built more quad muscle and a better squat jump; shallow squats gained 36% in the half squat and only 9% in the deep squat.
- Hartmann H., Wirth K., Klusemann M. Analysis of the load on the knee joint and vertebral column with changes in squatting depth and weight load. Sports Medicine, 2013. — A review of more than 160 studies: pressure on the cartilage behind the kneecap peaks at around 90° of knee bend; deep squats don't raise the risk of ligament and cartilage injuries, while half squats with very heavy weights may harm the knees and spine over the long run.
- Fry A. C., Smith J. C., Schilling B. K. Effect of knee position on hip and knee torques during the barbell squat. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2003. — 7 men, a barbell equal to body weight: when the knees weren't allowed past the toes, the load on the knee fell by 22% and the load on the hip joint rose almost elevenfold.
- Myer G. D. et al. The back squat: a proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 2014. — A breakdown of squat form: grip slightly wider than the shoulders, bar on the upper back muscles, a breath of about 80% before the descent, depth to parallel, torso parallel to the shins; knees caving in are linked to weak hip abductors and tight ankles.
- American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009. — For beginners, 8–12 reps and 2–3 workouts a week; add 2–10% to the weight once you can do 1–2 reps more than the target; rest 1–2 minutes with 6–12 reps and 3–5 minutes in heavy work.
This material is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice.
