The Squat

How to complete The Squat

Squatting your own bodyweight on the bar is the line that separates beginner from genuinely strong for most people, and it demands both leg power and clean depth. Full range, meaning hip crease below the knee, is non-negotiable here; a quarter squat with big plates doesn't count. Hit it and you've got a foundation of real lower-body strength.

1. Confirm your bodyweight, then calculate the bar plus plates needed to match it
2. Build up over weeks with progressively heavier sets rather than jumping straight to it
3. Drill depth at lighter loads so going below parallel is automatic under heavy weight
4. Brace hard, descend under control, and drive up through your whole foot
5. Always squat in a rack with safety pins set just below your bottom position

Tips

• Film from the side; lifters routinely cut depth far higher than they think
• If your heels lift, work on ankle mobility or use lifting shoes
• Drive your knees out over your toes to keep the path stable under load

What counts as done

You complete at least one squat with a loaded barbell equal to your bodyweight, hip crease passing below the knee.