Legs / Intermediate / Compound (multi-joint)

Barbell Back Squat

The classic squat with a barbell on the upper back, building the quads, glutes and adductors.

At a glance

Loads the knee, lower back. Use a load you can control and skip it if it causes pain.

Place a barbell across your upper back and stand with feet about shoulder-width apart.
Brace your core and keep your chest up.
Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.
Drive through your heels to stand back up.

✗ Knees cave inward on the way up.
Why it hurts: Knee valgus twists the knee under load and strains the inner knee ligaments (MCL) and the kneecap tendon.
✓ Instead: Push the knees out in line with the second and third toe and "spread the floor" with your feet. Lighten the load until you can keep it.
✗ Lower back rounds at the bottom ("butt wink") under a heavy bar.
Why it hurts: Flexing the lumbar spine while it carries the bar shifts load onto the discs and can aggravate a disc bulge.
✓ Instead: Brace before each rep, squat only as deep as you can keep a neutral spine, and work on ankle and hip mobility to earn more depth.
✗ Heels lift and weight shifts onto the toes.
Why it hurts: The knees travel far forward with the load on the forefoot, overloading the patellar tendon and making the lift unstable.
✓ Instead: Keep the whole foot planted with pressure through mid-foot and heel. Limited ankle mobility? Use small heel plates or squat shoes while you work on it.