Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kiel DiGiovanni, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
The back squat is the single best exercise you can use to build your lower body. It plays an intricate role in most people's programs to build massive quads and hamstrings. But how many reps should you be using? This article will explain the rep scheme and what works best for the back squat.
The Back Squat
The back squat is the supreme exercise for building the lower body and has been cornerstone of powerful people forever. It's one of the three exercises performed in powerlifting and has played a pivotal role in strength sports and improving performance.
Performing the back squat can say a lot about a lifter, as big numbers mean you've had a lot of time under the bar. However, reaching big numbers takes some planning. Sure, you can get away with messing around for a while, but sooner or later, you'll hit a spot where you need some planning.
We'll get into that below. But first, we wanted to briefly review the back squat.
Muscles Worked In The Back Squat
We're going to review some of the major muscles used in the back squat to help us understand what we're working with.
Glutes
The glutes consist of three muscles:
Together, these muscles make up the largest and most powerful muscle group in the body and are the powerhouse of the body. This is why squats are so important, as your glutes are one of, if not the primary mover. These muscles play a crucial role in controlling the movement's eccentric (downward) phase and provide the strength needed to drive up from the bottom position.
Quadriceps
The quadriceps are located at the front of your upper thigh and consist of four muscles:
Your quadriceps are the legs' primary knee extensors. They are needed in movements like jumping, kicking, and running. During the squat, your quads help power your body up and extend your knees.
Hamstrings
The hamstrings are made up of 3 muscles:
The hamstrings sit on the back of the upper leg and act as your knees' primary flexor. In addition, they also play a significant role in extending your hips. During the squats, your hamstrings work with your glutes to help extend the torso as you come up.
Erector Spinae
The erector spinae, located in the lower back, consists of muscles that run along each side of the vertebral column and extend through the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical regions. These muscles help maintain an upright torso during the barbell squat.
While often recognized, the erector spinae is part of your core and is crucial to maintaining torso rigidity during the back squat. Doing so helps protect your spine and puts your quads, hamstrings, and glutes in the proper position to function optimally.
Strength Vs. Muscle Growth Using The Back Squat
The barbell back squat is a multi-faceted lift that can increase strength and muscle growth. However, we feel that it is best utilized using moderate to lower reps (8-1) and favoring the lower end.
Best Reps For Back Squats To Increase Muscle Growth
Many mechanisms affect muscle growth, but one variable is key: volume. Increasing the total work volume is our number one variable to increase muscle growth. Numerous studies have shown a dose-response, meaning more volume equals more growth.
While you can technically use any rep range to increase work volume, the best is moderate reps of 6-12. This comes down to basic math, as these loads allow you to perform more reps per set, which equates to more volume.
Best Reps For Back Squats To Build Strength
Now, let's talk about strength. Unlike muscle growth, muscle strength occurs from improvements to the neuromuscular system. Your neuromuscular system is how your brain communicates with the muscles and controls what muscles fire, how much of the muscle fires, and how much force it produces. By improving your neuromuscular system, you're optimizing how your existing muscle works, resulting in more force production.
Research has shown that the best way to do this is to use heavier loads of >85% 1RM, which usually equates to 1-5 reps. However, loads of 80% are also often used in strength cycles.
Regardless, 1-5 reps is a generally accepted range to build strength.
How Many Reps Should Beginners Use On Back Squat?
While we went over the rep ranges above, those are simply theoretical. While they definitely play a major role, it's essential to consider the lifter.
For example, you would never take a beginner and have them bust out multiple heavy singles at 95%1RM! In reality, a beginner shouldn't even really come close to failure at any rep range.
Regardless, a beginner who has just started back squatting needs to focus on improving their form. This includes using a lot of reps with light loads. While the loads will be light, they'll still increase strength and build some muscle to start laying the foundation.
With that in mind, a beginner on the back squat could start with lower reps but perform it with light weight. This could help teach form while building initial muscle strength and endurance.
Afterward, they could move on to a higher rep range and stay there to improve their strength and form further. For example:
- 5X5 @50%1RM (2-4 weeks)
- 3X10 (4-6 weeks)
- 3X8 (4-6 weeks)
- 3X6 (4-6 weeks)
After this time frame, they would have built up a good amount of strength and muscle. At the same time, their form could be worked on to prepare them to move forward.
The Best Rep Schemes To Use With Back Squat
Now, let's discuss some actual rep schemes. Again, we discussed what reps to use to increase muscle mass and what reps to use to increase strength. However, lifting is a bit more complicated than just doing several reps.
There are many factors to consider, such as fatigue, burnout, and simply using some variation (or periodization) to ensure continual progress.
Best Rep Schemes To Use For Back Squat For Muscle Growth
The rep scheme is less critical regarding muscle growth as you're just trying to build volume. The need for periodization is less important than hypertrophy, which plays a role in your year-long training program (alternating between a block of hypertrophy and muscle growth).
With that said. Here are some ideas to get you started.
3 Sets x 8 reps Or 3 sets x 10 reps
3 x 8 and 3x 10 are some of the most basic protocols for the back. However, they are only fully utilized by either beginners or as part of a larger periodization program, such as pyramids or ladders, which we'll discuss below.
Pyramids Or Ladders
Pyramids or ladders can be nice as they offer a bit of variation and may not be as "boring" as straight sets. Pyramids would have you work up to a heavier weight (fewer reps), then have you work back to the original weight. For example:
- 1 x 10
- 1 x 8
- 1 x 6
- 1 x 8
- 1 x 10
On the other hand, ladders simply have you work up to a heavier rep and then stop.
- 1 x 12
- 1 x 10
- 1 x 8
- 1 x 6
3 sets X 20 reps
If you've never done 20-rep back squats, you're in for a surprise. These should only be used by intermediate (but intermediate lifters with experience) or advanced lifters. 20-rep sets are brutal and should be used sparingly, but when you want to give your legs a shock, this will do it.
German Volume Training (GVT)
German Volume Training is an intense form of training that should only be used sparingly. It's basically a 10-minute EMOM in which you perform 10 reps with 50% 1RM every minute.
Now, 10 minutes is pretty long, but it is effective at increasing anaerobic endurance. However, you could cut it down to just 5 while increasing the load to 60%.
Best Rep Scheme To Use For Back Squats For Strength And Muscle Mass
Try these rep schemes if you want the best of both worlds—strength and muscle mass.
3 sets x 6 reps
3X6 is a classic rep scheme; we have used it personally as well as with clients. It tends to be a beginner rep scheme but works well for all heavy compound movements and can be used by anyone. One thing we like about it is that it's in the sweet spot where it can harness both strength gains while allowing more volume for muscle growth.
Another benefit is that it's not as intimidating as using heavier loads. The back squat is unique as beginner lifters perceive every decrease in reps (accompanied by heavier loads) as significantly heavier. There's something about 6 reps that, while being heavy enough to provide strength and muscle gains, it's not as intimidating.
6 sets x 6 reps
These are tough. Start by performing 6 sets of 6 reps using 75% of your 1RM. From there, use progressive overload and add about 5-10 lbs weekly. It's simple and effective. However, this should only be used by those with at least a year of training. While 6 reps aren't exceptionally heavy, 6 sets of it is, and you're doing 36 reps of moderate-high loads.
8/6/4 or 10/8/6/4
8/6/4 and 10/8/6/4 are ladders using the following reps:
- 1 x 10
- 1 x 8
- 1 x 6
- 1 x 4
We like this one, as it works through the entire rep scheme every session.
Best Rep Schemes To Use For Back Squat To Increase Strength
Now, when discussing strength, your rep scheme can play a more important role.
3 sets x 5 reps Or 5 sets x 5 reps
3 x 5 and 5 x 5 are classic strength-building rep schemes, often the first of their kind for those entering the strength world. Like the 6 x 6, they're extremely simple and straightforward, using linear progression by adding 5-10 lbs weekly.
4-Week Blocks
A simple form of periodization could be to use 4-week blocks. Weeks 1-3 work from training to 5 reps to 3 reps to singles. This is followed by a lighter load used for 10 reps. This might look like this:
- Week 1: 5X5 @80%
- Week 2: 3X3 @90%
- Week 3: Work up to a heavy single of 95% or RPE9
- Week 4: 3X10@50%
Ramp-Up Sets
Ramp-up sets can be very useful. They allow you to slowly work up to a heavy single every training day. The next week, you would increase the load and repeat the process.
- Set 1: 6 reps at 70% of 1RM
- Set 2: 5 reps at 75% of 1RM
- Set 3: 4 reps at 80% of 1 RM
- Set 4: 3 reps at 82.5–85% of 1 RM
- Set 5: 2 reps at 85–87.5% of 1RM
- Set 6: 1 rep at 92.5–95% of 1RM
Heavy Singles: 5 sets x 1 rep, 6 sets x 1 rep (Build Strength)
Heavy singles are always a good tactic to use, especially when you're just getting into lifting heavy weights. These can help build confidence in your skill by only requiring one good rep with a very heavy load that's relatively easily manageable.
When you first begin, use loads around 90%. You can work up to higher intensities as you progress. For these, rest 3:00 before each set to allow you to perform a clean, crisp rep every time.
Final Say
The back squat is a beast of a movement, and it takes some planning if you want to excel. Getting started is really tough, and many people report hitting that 225 as the sticking point they must get through until they finally start enjoying the back squat. Regardless, if you're having trouble or just want some new ideas, try out some of these rep schemes to increase your back squat.
More Resources On Rep Schemes:
Garett Reid
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