Learning how to back squat with proper form can transform your training. Whether you’re a beginner or refining your technique, this post walks you through every step — from rack setup and breathing to stance, depth, and how to fail safely.

I’m Annie Miller, certified strength and conditioning specialist. I help you learn as you train and enjoy your lifts again without having to figure it out for yourself. The back squat has been both the movement that injured my back and the movement that helped me rebuild. So, we’re going deep today.

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What Makes the Back Squat Unique?

The back squat is a lower body push movement that mainly works your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. But it’s not just about the legs. Because the weight is placed on your back, it becomes an axially loaded movement, meaning it directly taxes your spine and nervous system.

That’s why the back squat is considered a high systemic load exercise — you’re recruiting your spinal erectors, core, lats, and more to stabilize under load.

Step 1: Rack Setup

Set your J-hooks at armpit height. You shouldn’t have to rise onto your toes to unrack the bar. Add plates, use collars if you want, and set your safety pins about 1 inch below your lowest squat position.

To find that position, get under the bar and drop into your squat with no weight. Adjust the pins from there. Safety bars should be your best friend.

Step 2: Stance and Foot Position

There’s no universal “perfect” squat stance. It depends on:

• Hip and ankle mobility
• Torso and femur length
• Personal comfort and strength

A good starting point: place your feet under or slightly outside your shoulders. Toes can point forward or turn out a bit. The narrower the stance, the more ankle mobility you’ll need. The wider the stance, the more adductors (inner thighs) you’ll recruit.

If you’re training for hypertrophy, stance can influence glute or adductor emphasis. But don’t get stuck in the weeds — just find what feels powerful and stable for you.

Step 3: Upper Body Position and Bar Grip

A mentor once told me: bench with your feet, squat with your hands. And it’s stuck with me ever since.

In the squat, your upper body matters — a lot. You want to actively pull yourself into the bar using your lats and upper back.

• Engage your traps to create a “shelf” for the bar
• Pull your elbows under the bar (for high-bar squats)
• Keep your chest lifted and tight
• Grip the bar close if mobility allows; go wider if needed

If you’re squatting low bar, your elbows may not come underneath, and that’s fine. Low bar shifts the hips back more and the torso forward. It can feel more powerful for some lifters — less so for others.

Step 4: Breathing and Bracing

Proper breathing keeps your spine safe and helps you move more weight.

Your goal is to create intra-abdominal pressure — a tight, braced core that stabilizes the entire body.

Here’s how to breathe and brace:

1. Inhale deeply into your belly and low back
2. Expand like a balloon — forward, back, and into the sides
3. Exhale slightly to draw up the pelvic floor and engage the core
4. Brace fully, then unrack and step back

Repeat a small breath and brace before each rep to maintain pressure.

No, you don’t need to brace this hard for every single rep, especially at lower intensities. But when the load increases, this pressure matters.

Step 5: Bar Path and Movement Cues

Keep the bar traveling in a vertical path over your midfoot. You don’t want big shifts forward or back. If you’re tipping onto your toes or rocking to your heels, you’ll lose power and possibly control.

Try this:

Place a resistance band under both big toes. As you squat, keep tension on the band — that means you’re staying grounded.

Want to film your squat and analyze your form?
Check out: Big Lift Audit

Step 6: Squatting Down (Eccentric Phase)

The goal is to sit down, not back. Try to sit between your ankles and keep your chest as upright as possible — depending on your body proportions.

• Control the descent
• Don’t “drop” or bounce out of the bottom
• Aim to get the top of the thigh below the knee

Can’t hit depth? No big deal. We’ll get to modifications shortly.

Step 7: Standing Up (Concentric Phase)

Drive through your feet and push the floor away.

Use your:

• Quads to extend the knees
• Glutes to bring the hips through
• Hands to drive up into the bar

Some lifters love the cue “spread the floor” — if that clicks for you, use it to engage your glutes during the ascent.

How to Re-Rack Safely

After your final rep:

• Step forward evenly
• Hit the rack with both sides of the bar
• Lower it into the J-hooks

Avoid turning your head or stepping unevenly. Set your hooks at a height where this feels natural and safe.

How to Fail a Back Squat Safely

If you can’t finish a rep:

• Drop the weight straight down onto the safety bars
• Squat underneath and step out
• If you’re not using safety bars, push the bar off your back and step away

Don’t let yourself get pinned and crumpled forward. That’s what safety bars are for — use them.

Back Squat Modifications

Can’t reach parallel?

Elevate your heels with plates, wedges, or lifting shoes. This increases knee travel and helps keep your torso upright — great for both mobility issues and quad-dominant squats.

Knees caving in (knee valgus)?

Use a light resistance band around your knees and perform slow, controlled reps. Choose a weight you can manage with perfect form and build from there.

Butt wink?

Check out: What Is Butt Wink? and The Ultimate Guide to Fix Your Butt Wink

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Not everyone needs to back squat — but if you want to, I hope this helped you feel more confident under the bar. You’ve got options, tools, and modifications to make it work for your body.