Lower Body Workouts

The Squat, Supercharged

Learn about this crucial move, and then choose the right variation to reach your goal
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The Squat, Supercharged // back squat c Beth Bischoff

Image: Beth Bischoff

Back Squat

BEST FOR Functional Lower-Body Strength

Decades of sports science has correlated squat strength with speed, power, and athletic performance. With the back squat, you generate a lot of force through your leg muscles—so with practice, you'll be able to squat a lot of weight.

AVOID IF You've had back pain or injury. The bar on your shoulders compresses your disks.

RANK
Force: 3 out of 4
Quadriceps: 1 out of 4
Hamstrings: 3 out of 4

VIDEO: Watch how to perform the perfect back squat

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