Weighted Squat
Weighted Squat earns a place on leg day, and added external load keeps the focus on muscle you built on purpose.
How to do Weighted Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
- Hold a weight in front of your chest or on your shoulders.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your hips down and back, as if sitting into a chair.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Push through your heels to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Weighted Squat Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Add the smallest increment that still feels different.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Secure the load before the set so form does not shift.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Drop the weight and finish clean if position slips.
Common Weighted Squat Mistakes
Adding load before the unweighted version is clean
Earn full-range reps with bodyweight first, then add the smallest weight.
Moving through the easy half of the range only
Work the part of the range that feels hardest, not the part that feels good.
Easier and Harder Than Weighted Squat
Swap Weighted Squat For
Weighted Squat — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Weighted Squat?
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Hold a weight in front of your chest or on your shoulders. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your hips down and back, as if sitting into a chair. Use added weight and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Weighted Squat work?
The Weighted Squat primarily targets the glutes. It is classified as a legs exercise and is performed with added weight.
How many sets and reps of the Weighted Squat should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Secure the load before the set so form does not shift. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Weighted 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 Weighted Squat?
Try the Barbell Stiff Leg Good Morning, Kettlebell Front Squat or the Sled 45° Leg Wide Press. Each trains the glutes with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
