Barbell Leg Squat

The barbell leg squat is one of the most effective free weight exercises for stimulating testosterone production and new muscle growth.  When performed properly, a heavy barbell squat utilizes muscles from every major muscle group in the body! The net effect of all of the muscles in your body working to complete each repetition causes your hormonal system to send a flood of natural anabolic hormones to the rescue.  This leads to some serious growth inducing muscle stimulation!

If you were limited to only one free weight exercise, I would strongly suggest that barbell leg squats be the exercise you choose regardless of your goals.  Whether your looking to burn fat or build muscle, there is simply no more effective exercise than a properly performed leg squat.

Ideal Barbell Leg Squat Form

Leg Squat Side View

Muscles Used During The Leg Squat Target Body Part: Legs & Nearly Every Major Muscle Group In The Body! Primary Muscles: Quadriceps and Gluteal Muscles Secondary Muscles: Adductors, Erector Spinae, Abdominal Muscles, Hamstrings

Starting Position: Walk underneath the bar and position it on the top part of your trapezius.  Grab the bar with an overhand grip. Place your hands wide enough that your elbows and shoulders feel comfortable.

Inhale and slightly arch your back by rotating your pelvis forward, contract your abs and move the bar off of the rack.  Step backwards a step of two until you are in position to perform the squat.  Focus your eyes on a fixed point on the wall that is higher than your head.

Position your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and either parallel or with your toes slightly pointed out.)

Downward Phase: Bend slightly forward at the hips and lower the weight (just like your sitting in a chair – butt first – head up) until your thighs are parallel (or slightly below parallel) to the floor.

Upward Phase: Straighten out your legs and move the weight back to the original starting position making sure not to round your lower back in the process. While you are moving the weight up, focus on pushing the weight through your heels and not through your toes.  Try to maintain your center of balance through your heels during this exercise.

Warning:  Throughout the duration of this exercise make sure to keep your back straight.  Do not at any time round your back!

Special Instructions: There are a few ways to position the bar on your back for the squat.  You can either place the bar on the top portion of the trapezius (high bar position), or you can place the bar lower on your back (power lifting low bar position) on the trapezius and deltoid.

By varying the position of your feet during the squat, you can target different muscles in your lower body…

• If you squat with your toes pointed slightly out with a shoulder width stance, then you will target all of the muscles in your quadriceps as well as some of the muscles on the inside portion of your thigh.
• If you squat with your toes pointed out and your feet positioned in a wide stance, then you will primarily target the muscles on the inside of your thighs as well as the outside portion of your quadriceps, though all of the muscles in your quads will be used.
• If you squat with your toes pointing completely forward with a narrow stance, then you will place the emphasis exclusively on the muscles in your quadriceps.

Now you know how to correctly perform the barbel leg squat.  While it seems like a pretty simple exercise, it’s really the single most effective muscle building exercise out there. Take the time to learn how to incorporate squats into your workouts and you will begin to build muscle mass!

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