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LiftSets / Exercises / Weighted Squat

Weighted Squat

Works the quadriceps. Helped by the calves, glutes, hamstrings.

Weighted Squat, start position, with the working muscles highlighted
Start
Weighted Squat, finish position, with the working muscles highlighted
Finish

Bright blue is the target muscle. Darker blue is helping. The app shows this as a moving demo.

Muscles worked

quadricepscalvesgluteshamstrings

How many reps

GoalReps per set
Strength3-6
Muscle size6-10
Endurance12-20+

Whatever the number, the set should end within a rep or two of the point where you could not do another with good form.

Kitother
Levelintermediate

What to think about

How to do it

  1. Start by positioning two flat benches shoulder width apart from each other. Stand on top of them and wrap the weighted belt around your waist with the amount of weight you feel comfortable with. Make sure your toes are facing out.
  2. Once you are standing straight up with the weight hanging in between your legs, position your arms so that they are fully extended to the side of your body. This is the starting position.
  3. Begin by bending the knees as you maintain a straight posture with the head up. Continue down until the angle between the upper leg and the calves becomes slightly less than 90-degrees (which is the point in which the upper legs are below parallel to the floor). Inhale as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: If you performed the exercise correctly, the front of the knees should make an imaginary straight line with the toes that are perpendicular to the front. If your knees are past that imaginary line (if they are past your toes) then you are placing undue stress on the knee and the exercise has been performed incorrectly.
  4. Begin to move the body back up by pushing the floor of the flat bench with the ball of your foot mainly as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position. Exhale as you perform this portion of the exercise.
  5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Other exercises for the quadriceps

Track it in LiftSets

Log weighted squat with last time's numbers in front of you, a rest timer on your lock screen and a graph of your progress.

Coming soon to the App Store