Barbell Low Bar Squat

1. Set the bar in the rack at mid-chest height and grip it slightly wider than shoulder width.
2. Duck under and place the bar below the spine of the shoulder blade, resting on the shelf created by your squeezed rear delts.
3. Pull your elbows back and up to lock the bar into that shelf, stand up, and step back with feet just wider than shoulder width, toes slightly out.
4. Take a big breath, brace your trunk, and start the descent by pushing the hips back while the chest tips forward more than in a high bar squat.
5. Descend until your hip crease drops to or just below knee level, keeping the bar over the middle of your foot.
6. Drive the hips up and forward while pushing the floor away, keeping the bar path vertical.
7. Finish by standing tall with hips fully extended, then rebrace before the next rep.

Common Mistakes

• Carrying the bar too low: dropping the bar well below the rear delt shelf forces the wrists and elbows to hold the load and tips the torso excessively. Set it snug against the rear delts and squeeze the upper back to keep it there.
• Letting the chest fall in the hole: if the hips shoot up first out of the bottom, the lift turns into a good morning and the lower back takes over. Drive the hips and chest up at the same rate.
• Ignoring the more horizontal torso: fighting to stay bolt upright with a low bar position pushes the bar off the mid-foot line. Accept the natural forward lean and keep the bar stacked over the middle of your foot.
• Bending the wrists back under the bar: trying to carry weight in the hands strains the wrists and elbows. Keep the wrists straight; the hands only pin the bar against your back.