Barbell Low Bar Squat
Barbell Low Bar Squat trades complexity for control through the whole range, and it works before or after your main squat.
How to do Barbell Low Bar Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper back.
- Keeping your chest up and core engaged, slowly lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Low Bar Squat Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Common Barbell Low Bar Squat Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Letting a nearby joint take over as the set gets hard
Stop the set as soon as the working joint stops leading the movement.
Letting the last set decay into a different exercise
End the set when the pattern changes, not when the reps run out.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Low Bar Squat
Swap Barbell Low Bar Squat For
Barbell Low Bar Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Low Bar Squat?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper back. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, slowly lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Low Bar Squat work?
The Barbell Low Bar Squat primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Low Bar Squat should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Low Bar Squat good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic legs patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Low Bar Squat?
Try the Bent Knee Lying Twist (male), Band Seated Hip Internal Rotation or the Sled 45 Degrees One Leg Press. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
