Barbell Kneeling Squat

Also known as: Kneeling Squat, Barbell Kneeling Hip Thrust

StrengthFunctional

Track Barbell Kneeling Squat in SmartWorkout and watch your numbers go up

Log sets, weights and progress for free, with no workout limits.

Body Part: Legs

Description

Kneel with a barbell secured across your upper back and your feet resting behind you. Move your hips back toward your heels, allowing a controlled forward lean of the torso. Drive your hips forward to return to tall kneeling, keeping the bar stable and finishing without leaning back.

How to Perform

Kneel with your feet behind you and hold the bar securely across your upper back, away from your neck.
Start in tall kneeling, brace your abdomen and keep the bar balanced over your body.
Start the descent by pushing your hips back toward your heels. Keep your torso controlled and avoid rounding your lower back.
Lower until your glutes lightly touch or come close to your heels, or stop earlier if you cannot maintain a neutral spine.
Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to the tall kneeling position. Finish with your hips fully extended without leaning backward.
Repeat slowly while keeping both knees planted and the bar steady.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Set the bar securely across your upper traps, not on your neck, and keep your hands tight enough to control it without cranking your wrists.
Keep your feet pointed behind you and use knee padding if needed for comfortable support.
Brace your abdomen before each repetition and keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis so your lower back does not overarch.
Use a lighter load than you would for a standing squat, since balance and trunk control are limiting factors in this exercise.
Inhale as you sit back and exhale as you extend your hips.

Common Mistakes

Sitting back by collapsing the chest forward rather than hinging from the hips with a neutral spine.
Stopping short of bringing the hips close to the heels when mobility allows.
Losing balance by shifting the hips to one side during the descent or ascent.
Using a bouncing motion off the heels instead of controlling the bottom position.
Failing to fully extend the hips at the top of each repetition.
Pushing the head forward or looking excessively up, which disrupts neck alignment.