Barbell Speed Squat
Barbell Speed Squat trades complexity for strength you can feel outside the gym, and it works before or after your main squat.
How to do Barbell Speed Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your hips back and down, as if sitting into a chair.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Drive through your heels to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Speed 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 Speed Squat Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Repeating the same load and rep scheme for months
Pick one variable, load, reps, or tempo, and push it every week.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Speed Squat
Swap Barbell Speed Squat For
Barbell Speed Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Speed Squat?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your hips back and down, as if sitting into a chair. 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 Speed Squat work?
The Barbell Speed 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 Speed 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 Speed 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 Speed Squat?
Try the Kettlebell Goblet Squat, Dumbbell Single Leg Squat or the Reverse Hyper Extension (on Stability Ball). Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
