straddlyBarbell Half Squat
Muscles worked
Main muscles
- Gluteus Maximus
- Rectus Femoris
- Vastus Intermedius
- Vastus Lateralis
- Vastus Medialis
Also working
- Adductor Magnus
- Erector Spinae
- Transverse Abdominis
What it is
A back squat stopped around halfway down, with the thighs well above parallel. The shorter range lets you handle heavier loads and is often used for strength and sprint work. Set the safeties in the rack and keep the torso upright.
Technique tips
- Set the safeties at your target depth
- Brace hard before each rep
- Sit down to about half depth
- Drive up through the whole foot
How to track your progress
Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.
