Speed Squats

How to do the Speed Squats

1. This exercise is best performed inside a squat rack for safety purposes. To begin, first set the bar on a rack that best matches your height. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, step under the bar and place the back of your shoulders (slightly below the neck) across it.
2. Hold on to the bar using both arms at each side and lift it off the rack by first pushing with your legs and at the same time straightening your torso.
3. Step away from the rack and position your legs using a shoulder width medium stance with the toes slightly pointed out. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. This will be your starting position. (Note: For the purposes of this discussion we will use the medium stance which targets overall development; however you can choose any of the three stances discussed in the foot stances section).
4. Begin to lower the bar 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 is 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.
5. Begin to raise the bar as fast as possible without involving momentum as you exhale by pushing the floor with the heel of your foot mainly as you straighten the legs again and go back to the starting position. Note: You should perform these exercises as fast as possible but without breaking perfect form and without involving momentum.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings, lower back
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	expert
Type	compound

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Bodyweight Walking Lunge Bodyweight Freehand Jump Squat Bodyweight Squats - With Bands Resistance Bands Bodyweight Squat Bodyweight Dumbbell Squat Dumbbell Dumbbell Squat To A Bench Dumbbell

Easier than the Speed Squats

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Dumbbell Squat beginner · Dumbbell Smith Machine Squat beginner · Machine

Superset the Speed Squats with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Power Clean hamstrings Romanian Deadlift hamstrings Snatch Pull hamstrings Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Speed Squats work?

The Speed Squats primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Squat, and Barbell Squat To A Bench train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Speed Squats?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Bodyweight Walking Lunge, Freehand Jump Squat, and Squats - With Bands train the same muscle, and 27 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Speed Squats suitable for beginners?

It is rated expert. Start with Barbell Squat, Dumbbell Squat, and Smith Machine Squat and work up.

Where should the Speed Squats go in a workout?

Early — the Speed Squats is compound, working 5 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Power Clean and Romanian Deadlift later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Box Squat with Chains Barbell Dumbbell Squat Dumbbell Dumbbell Squat To A Bench Dumbbell