Barbell back squat

Setup

Set the bar at mid-chest height in the rack. Step under it so it sits on your upper back, just below the bony bit of your neck.

How to do it

1. Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders and squeeze your shoulder blades together to make a shelf.
2. Stand up to unrack, take two short steps back, feet shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
3. Breathe in, brace, and sit down between your heels, knees following your toes.
4. Go as deep as you can with a neutral back, then drive up through your whole foot.
5. Breathe out near the top, reset your brace, and repeat. Walk the bar forward into the rack at the end.

Coaching cues

• Chest up, back tight, like someone's about to take a photo.
• Spread the floor with your feet.
• Hips and chest rise together.

Common mistakes

• Knees caving in on the way up.
• Heels lifting or weight shifting onto the toes.
• Rounding the lower back at the bottom (butt wink) under heavy load.

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