How to do an Olympic Squat
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Olympic Squat
Barbells
Squat Rack
Workouts with Olympic Squat
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
The Olympic Squat is a variation of the more standard Back Squat. Like other Squats, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. This variation will have you keep your torso up more than other variations. This can help improve range of motion, and further recruit your quadriceps.
- Set the barbell to just below shoulder-height before dipping underneath to position it onto the base of your neck. Keep your shoulders back and chest up before unracking the barbell and stepping back.
- Place your feet just outside shoulder-width apart and slightly angled outward.
- Keep your weight evenly distributed through your feet throughout the exercise.
- Begin to descend by reaching your hips slightly back.
- Your knees should track outward over your second toe and slightly forward as you descend while keeping your core braced to avoid any rounding in the spine.
- You should continue to descend to a deep enough depth that allows your spine to remain neutral before extending your hips and knees back to the starting position.
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Weak Hip Hinge
The hip hinge is a crucial part of the squat. Make sure you’re dropping your hips back first, and then bending your knees to drop into your squat. The same is true on the way up. Make sure you’re driving your hips forward, not just extending your legs.
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Alternative Exercises to Olympic Squat
1. Back Squat
99.3 mSCORESWAPPED 175 TIMESBack Squat is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common lower body exercises. It’s a great compound exercise that can help build strength and muscle mass in your leg, especially your quadriceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking lower body strength in general.
2. Leg Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 61 TIMESLeg Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The exercise itself is fairly similar to a standard squat, with some key differences. The biggest of these differences is the added stability from supporting your back on the Leg Press Machine. The end result of these changes is a more stable movement that further emphasizes your quadriceps. Leg Press is an excellent exercise for anyone looking to build muscle mass or strength in their quads.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Leg Press
3. Smith Machine Squat
94.3 mSCORESWAPPED 45 TIMESSmith Machine Squat is a variation on the more standard Squat. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your quads. The use of a Smith Machine restricts your range of motion, and adds significantly more stability to the movement. This makes this exercise a great choice for learning proper squat mechanics, and developing strength in your lower body.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Smith Machine
4. Front Squat
93.4 mSCORESWAPPED 42 TIMESFront Squat is one of the most common variations of the more standard Back Squat. Like other squat variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets your quadriceps. By racking the bar in front of your body instead of behind, you can further emphasize your quads. While the movements are fairly similar, Front Squat may translate better to applications in sports and other real world activities.
5. Dumbbell Squat
94.1 mSCORESWAPPED 38 TIMESDumbbell Squat is a variation of the more standard Squat. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. The advantage of using dumbbells rather than a barbell is that you have more freedom in your range of motion which can make this a more accessible variation for anyone with mobility limitations. With that freedom comes a bit more instability with this exercise though, which can help you further improve your squat for, and build the strength needed for heavier, or more complex variations.
6. Leg Extension
99.4 mSCORESWAPPED 30 TIMESLeg Extensions are an isolation exercise that target the quads. Due to a severe lack of isolation movements for the lower body, this is a great option for specifically targeting your quadriceps. The use of a machine restricts your range of motion, and adds some stability to the movement. This can help your focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement. The downside to this exercise is that it places a lot of tension on your knee. Keep your weights light, and focus on pausing near the end of your range of motion.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Leg Extension Machine
7. Machine Leg Press
95.1 mSCORESWAPPED 24 TIMESMachine Leg Press is a variation on the more standard Leg Press. Like the Leg Press, this is a compound exercise that primarily recruits the quadriceps. This is a great exercise for building strength and muscle mass in your quads. The use of a machine doesn’t change anything significant about this exercise, although your positioning may change depending on the machine you’re using.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Leg Press Machine
8. Hack Squat
90.1 mSCORESWAPPED 21 TIMESHack Squat is a variation of squats that utilizes a specific machine to add resistance. Like other squat variations, this exercise primarily targets your quads. The use of a machine can assist you by redistricting your range of motion more than with the use of free weights, as well as adds more stability to the movement.
- Beginner
- Quads
- Hack Squat Machine
9. Dumbbell Goblet Squat
87.9 mSCORESWAPPED 20 TIMESDumbbell Goblet Squat is a variation on the more standard Front Squat. Like other squat variations, this compound exercise primarily targets the quadriceps. Goblet squats are beneficial because they require less upper body mobility in order to keep the weight in the proper position compared to using a barbell.
10. Air Squats
92.1 mSCORESWAPPED 17 TIMESAir Squats are a bodyweight variation of Squats. Like other variations, this is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps. Without any added resistance this is easily one of the most beginner friendly exercises out there. It’s a great way to start building strength, and working your way towards more advanced variations.
- Beginner
- Quads