Barbell Full Squat

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and barbell resting on your upper back. Lower your body down by bending at the knees and hips. Keep your chest up, back straight, and knees in line with your toes. Go down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Push through your heels to stand back up to the starting position.

How to perform the Barbell Full Squat

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Full Squat using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your calves.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your calves rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Barbell Full Squat

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