Frankenstein Squat
The point of Frankenstein Squat is muscle you built on purpose; heavy bilateral barbell loading is how it gets there.
How to do Frankenstein Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your body with straight arms.
- Keeping your back straight, lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Frankenstein 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 Frankenstein Squat Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
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 Frankenstein Squat
Swap Frankenstein Squat For
Frankenstein Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Frankenstein Squat?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your body with straight arms. Keeping your back straight, lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go. 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 Frankenstein Squat work?
The Frankenstein 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 Frankenstein 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 Frankenstein 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 Frankenstein Squat?
Try the Smith Bent Knee Good Morning, Glute Bridge March or the Kettlebell Swing. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
