Weighted Squat

How to do the Weighted Squat

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.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	quads
Secondary	calves, glutes, hamstrings
Equipment	other equipment
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No other equipment? 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 Lunges Dumbbell Dumbbell Rear Lunge Dumbbell

Easier than the Weighted Squat

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

Barbell Squat beginner · Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge beginner · Barbell Bodyweight Walking Lunge beginner · Bodyweight

Harder than the Weighted Squat

Reverse Band Power Squat expert · Barbell Power Jerk expert · Barbell Overhead Squat expert · Barbell

Superset the Weighted Squat with

Opposing hamstrings work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Platform Hamstring Slides hamstrings Seated Band Hamstring Curl hamstrings Alternating Hang Clean hamstrings Double Kettlebell Alternating Hang Clean hamstrings

Common questions

What muscles does the Weighted Squat work?

The Weighted Squat primarily works the quads, with the calves, glutes, and hamstrings as secondary movers. Barbell Full Squat, Barbell Lunge, and Barbell Squat train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Weighted Squat?

The Right Equipment. Without the right equipment, 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 Weighted Squat suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Barbell Squat, Barbell Walking Lunge, and Bodyweight Walking Lunge and work up.

Where should the Weighted Squat go in a workout?

Early — the Weighted Squat is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Platform Hamstring Slides and Seated Band Hamstring Curl later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Full Squat Barbell Barbell Lunge Barbell Barbell Squat Barbell Barbell Squat To A Bench Barbell Barbell Step Ups Barbell Barbell Walking Lunge Barbell