Squat with Bands

What it is

This compound exercise enhances your traditional barbell squat by adding resistance bands, increasing tension throughout the movement. It primarily targets your quadriceps, the large muscles on the front of your thighs, while also heavily engaging your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. You will use a barbell and resistance bands for this advanced variation.

Technique tips

• Secure bands to the rack, pegs, or dumbbells for consistent tension.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together and rotate elbows forward for a tight upper back.
• Initiate the descent by pushing your knees and hips out, sitting back.
• Descend until your hip crease is below the top of your knee.
• Drive upward through your heels, leading the movement with your head.
• Keep your core braced and your entire body tight from start to finish.

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.