Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-Founder
FACT CHECKED
Sometimes, when you want to squat more, you must give it some special attention. You see, when you begin squatting, you can make progress relatively easily and dont need a lot of special programming apart from the basics. However, you will eventually get to a point where you need to prioritize it over other lifts, or at least give it a little love to see results. At this point, it may be of interest to start using a specialized back squat program. This article will lay one out for you.
What Is The Back Squat?
The barbell back squat is the epitome of lower-body training. It's one of the primary moments that lays the foundation for your training career. If you could only do 5 exercises for the rest of your life, the back squat would be one of them. Heck, if you could only do 3, the back squat would likely be one of them.
Beaten only by the deadlift, the back squat is the second heaviest lift for most people meaning it's crucial for building true strength. At the same time, since it uses so much muscle mass, it will blow up your legs.
What Is A Back Squat Program?
So, let's talk real quick about a back squat program. A back squat program is a training program that's specifically designed to increase your back squat. This means it's more than just a rep scheme.
A proper back squat program will be designed to increase your strength numbers specifically. This is done by providing an appropriate rep scheme for your back squat and the accessory movements you need to support your back squat numbers.
At the same time, a back squat program generally favors the back squat over all other lifts. In other words, you're not trying to reach new PRs in other lifts. It may happen, but that's not necessarily the goal. Your attention is diverted to the back squat.
Who Needs A Back Squat Program?
So, who needs a back squat program? This can depend greatly, but we know that beginners don't need one. Anyone who has just started lifting and making reasonable progress can just keep doing what they're doing.
Further, anyone who hasn't used any sort of periodization probably doesn't need one. If you just finished your first 6 months of 3X5 using linear progressive overload and have stalled, you can likely still see progress easily by altering your rep scheme and using some deloads.
Therefore, someone should have at least a year of proper training and have been dissatisfied with their squat or seen a lack of progress.
How To Perform The Back Squat
One important aspect to remember is that form is a major component of your back squat performance. This is especially true the heavier you get. You may have gotten away with poor mechanics while squatting less than 2 plates. However, this starts becoming an issue as you get heavier. Well, it's always been an issue, but you'll start feeling it, not in a good way.
Even if you don't get hurt, your numbers will suffer as your body won’t be mechanically favored. Therefore, you need to get your form checked to make sure you're getting the best squat ROM for the best results. Here's how to perform the back squat.
- Set a barbell on a squat rack with the J-hooks adjusted to armpit height. Load your desired weight onto the barbell and secure it tightly with clips on each end.
- Grip the barbell as close to your shoulders as is comfortable. A narrower grip will help tighten your upper back for better stability, but avoid going so narrow that it causes elbow pain.
- Position yourself under the bar, resting your traps (the muscles at the base of your neck) under the center of the bar, with your feet and hips directly aligned beneath it.
- Lift the bar off the rack and take 2 to 3 steps back, setting your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly angled out (10 to 20 degrees).
- Take a deep breath, engaging your core with the Valsalva maneuver: try to exhale while keeping your airways closed.
- Begin the squat by breaking at your hips and knees, lowering until your hip crease is below the top of your knees or as deep as you can maintain a flat back.
- Stand back up powerfully, extending your knees and hips, and exhale.
- Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.
Common Errors Of The Back Squat
All the points above are key, but a few common errors occur.
Rising Hips
Rising hips occur during the ascent when your hips rise but leave your shoulders behind. In an exaggerated case, it will basically look like you extend your knees, followed by a good morning.
There are a lot of possible causes, but the most common is some combination of weak core, glutes, and hamstrings. To fix this, you're going to need to;
- Drop the load
- Give those muscles some extra love.
- Really focus on your form as you increase the load.
One hack that could help is to think about driving your shoulders up during your ascent. Many people will just try to move the weight up, so slow down, and as you come up, picture that you're specifically driving your shoulders up.
Falling Forward
Another common error during the ascent is falling forward. Again, there are many possible causes, but a major one is a weak core. Basically, the weight is on your shoulders, causing you to fall forward as you don't have the core to hold it.
If this is your issue, you must drop the weight until your form is good and start over. That said, you can add more core work and even upper back.
Knees Caving In
Knee caving in, or knee valgus, is one of the most common back squat errors. It happens during the ascent of a back squat, where your knees will cave inward. This could be caused by many issues, such as weak abductors and external rotators, inadequate core strength, mobility, or even foot position.
Regardless, one of the best ways to fix this is to imagine you're trying to spread the ground with your feet. This will keep your knees locked in.
What This Back Squat Program Looks Like
This program covers more than just the back squat; it also includes the assistance exercises you need to support it.
To do this, you will utilize your main squat day and a secondary training day. The second will use a specific squat variation and other exercises to support your training.
Back Squat Accessory Movements
We will now lay out your accessory movements alongside your back squat. Some of these will be done on a second training day.
Box Squats
Box squats are a great accessory for teaching power out of the hole. However, many people do them wrong. Many lifters think the box is there to teach depth. While this could be one of its roles, there's a more important benefit: It eliminates the stretch-shortening cycle, or SSC.
Your SCC occurs during the transition from eccentric to concentric, when your ligaments are being stretched and then firing off. The easiest way to think about this is shooting a rubber band.
This is why simply squatting to a box, tapping it with your butt, and immediately rising fall short. Therefore, you will lower down to the box and settle when you perform them. Let your hip muscles relax for a second, and then power up.
When using these, we like to use low reps with lower weight and focus on intent, which is really powering up. Due to its similarities in movement patterns to the squat, you'll perform this with a second lower body day. For example, you can perform it after a deadlift.
Hack Squat (machine)
The hack squat is a machine-based leg exercise in which you lie face-up on a sled that slides up and down a track. It somewhat simulates a front squat as there's minimal hip flexion, with knee flexion/extension being the primary mover. Therefore, it's a quad-dominant exercise.
These are great and can be humbling your first time using them, as you're essentially doing leg extensions with maximal weights. In fact, you'll be able to press more weight with the hack squat. The point is that these will significantly increase your pushing strength.
Romanian Deadlift
The Romanian deadlift is a great exercise for really isolating the hip extension. It's important to remember that even though the back squat is a squat (obviously!), it still involves hip extension. This is where the Romanian deadlift comes in.
There are many great hip extension exercises, but the Romanian deadlift stands out due to its ability to target the posterior muscles.
Barbell Hip Thrust
The barbell hip thrust is an essential exercise for strengthening hip extension. It's generally agreed upon to be the best glute exercise because it's technically a single-joint exercise that utilizes hip extension. This means it gives your glutes a great workout.
Hip extension is a crucial movement in the squat required to finish the movement. Further, the glutes are still involved with powering out of the hole. Therefore, we like to train the hip thrust throughout a range of reps, with the heaviest reps being 4 but also going up to ultra-high 15+.
Belt Squat Or Hatfield Squat
Both the belt squat and Hatfield squat produce similar movement patterns while taking stress off the back. The belt squat does this by using a belt wrapped around your waist. You’ll need access to a belt squat machine, or you can use a dip belt.
The Hatfield squat uses a safety squat bar (SSB) and another barbell for support. After loading the SSB and placing it on your back, you hold onto another racked barbell to help with the squats. By holding the barbell, you take stress off your back and can even help with reps.
With either squat, the primary purpose is to add volume to the legs while not stressing your core. Therefore, they'll usually be used towards the end of the program, and they'll generally be used with higher reps.
You can use either one, assuming you have access to either a belt squat machine or SSB.
Back Extension/GHD/Reverse Hyper
All three of these exercises train the posterior chain with similar biomechanics. Almost every gym has a back extension machine (equipment), while the GHD and reverse hyper require specialized equipment.
At the same time, we have found that different people respond differently to the three machines. Therefore, you can perform whichever one you want and have access to.
Leg Extension/Leg Curls
You'll then add some isolation at the end of the session with leg curls. You'll only perform 2 sets with minimal rests to isolate these muscles specifically.
Should You Deadlift While On A Back Squat Program?
A common question is whether or not a lifter can train deadlifts on a back squat program. Now, obviously, you can, so the real question is whether you should. And to that, we can say it really depends. We know hearing this answer can get tiresome but it’s true in a lot of situations in fitness.
As mentioned above, a lifter using a back squat program likely already has decent numbers on their lifts as they’re not a beginner. The problem with doing both is that it could potentially build up fatigue. Remember that the back squat program is designed to increase the back squat, and if you're training deadlifts and building fatigue, this could mitigate your squat performance. Not only are you lifting heavy loads, it puts a lot of stress on the lower back which is also a point of concern with the back squat.
Therefore, it really depends on the person. You can at least still train the deadlift with minimal volume just to keep your form and numbers good. One way of doing this is training ramp-up sets with 3-5 reps and stopping at RPE7-8. These lower reps won't produce much volume, and since you're stopping with one set at a low RPE, it shouldn't affect you.
Another option that works well for some people is to just work up to a heavy single. Again, this depends on you and how your body reacts.
But again, this will depend on you. If your number 1 priority above all else is to improve your squat, then you should minimize your deadlift. If you want to increase your squat but also want to see some growth on the deadlift, you could increase your deadlift.
Your Barbell Back Squat Program
We're now going through your back squat program. Again, this will include one whole training day as well as other exercises to add to your other training days, wherever that may fit.
Barbell Back Squat Session
- Barbell Back Squat (See Below)
- Romanian Deadlift 10/8/6/4*
- Belt Squat/Hatfield Squat 3X10-12
- Leg Extension/Leg Curls 3X10-12
- Back Extension/GHD/Hyper 2X15-20
*Ramp set of increasing weight using 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
Alternate Exercises
These are your alternate exercises. You can add them where they fit into your program.
- Box Squat (See Below) 6X2 @60-70%
- Barbell Hip Thrust 10/8/6/4*
- Hack Squat 3X8-10
- Split Squat 3X8-10/Leg
- Back Extensions/GHD/Hyper 3X15-20
*Ramp set of increasing weight using 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
Barbell Back Squat Rep Scheme
Before you start the program, you’ll need to have a training PR. This is about 90-95% of your true max rep. You can think about it as the most weight you know you can get any day. This doesn’t need to be exact but a roundabout. You should have a pretty good idea of what this weight is. If not, you’ll need to first find your training 1RM.
For your barbell rep scheme, you’re going to use a classic 4-week block with a 5/3/1 inspired rep scheme. Each block will have you work up to a heavier single during the 3rd week followed by a deload in the 4th.
- Week 1: 5X5 @80% with 2:00-3:00 rest
- Week 2: 3X3 @ with 3:00 Rest
- Week 3: 5X1 @85%, 90%, 95%, 100%, New PR With 3:00 rest
- Week 4: 3X5 @50%
Here are some guidelines as you follow these rep schemes.
Week 1: During week one, your goal is getting some volume with heavier loads, you should not come close to failure except possibly on the last set. You can adjust the loads if needed. For example, if set 4 was conducted at an RPE9, you may want to take off some 10% for the 5th set. Use rest as needed. If you feel good at 2:00, go for it. If you need 3:00, take it.
Week 2: During week two, you’ll be increasing the load and bringing your reps closer to failure. However, you shouldn’t miss any reps. You’re just doing 3 sets so really take advantage of a 3:00 rest.
Week 3: On the third week, you’ll use singles in a ramping factor so that you hit a new PR on the 5th rep. Again, this may take some alteration of loads. As far as rest, you could use 2:00 for the first couple singles but push it to 3:00 once you hit 90%. These singles are still acting as a quasi warm-up so you still want them to feel relatively easy.
Progressing On This Back Squat Program
Progressing on this back squat program is relatively simple. We already reviewed the scheme you're using for the back and box squat. For the other exercises, remember that your goal isn't necessarily setting PRs for everything. In fact, you may have some days where you do less; this may be due to some heavy squats or just poor sleep. Regardless, you'd just use less weight on those days rather than pushing 100% max effort.
That said, you will increase the load or reps when appropriate. Just remember you don't need to really push these. If one day you're not totally feeling it, keep the load the same or even drop a little.
Nutrition And Recovery On Your Back Squat Program
We want to go over nutrition and recovery real quick. As with any program that has you pushing heavy weight, these variables play a major role and can make or break you.
For recovery, your best tool is sleep. Do not skimp on your sleep if you want to perform your best. This really isn’t an area you can skimp on as sleep is sleep and you need it.
For nutrition, you want to at least be in a slight caloric surplus. You could technically run this in a deficit but it will likely affect your gains. Therefore, follow the following guidelines for your calories and macros:
- Calories: 300-500 surplus
- Protein: 1.6-2.0g/kg
- Fat: 30% of total calories
- Carbs: Feel in the rest
Spread your meals across the day and enjoy your gains!
Related: Meal Plans
Final Say On Your Back Squat Program
This back squat program will give you the structure you need to to start progressing and get your numbers up. Keep in mind that the back squat is a big movement and can take time and dedication. However, if you put those two into the program along with intensity, you will see your back squat improve.
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Garett Reid
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