Free squats are the king of leg exercises. It is also one of the most poorly done in gyms. This article details the technique, the most common mistakes and how to progress safely.
The correct technique step by step
1. Positioning on the bar
- Bar supported on the trapeze (high bar) or on the upper back (low bar)
- Hands wide enough to create tension in the lats
- Elbows pointing downwards (high bar) or backwards (low bar)
2. Unracking
- Bring the bar closer, fit it onto the trapeze
- Lift by pushing with your legs, not your lower back
- Take 2 to 3 steps back
3. Starting position
- Feet shoulder-width apart (or a little wider)
- Toes 10 to 30° out
- Weight distributed between heel and forefoot
- Core contracted, spine neutral
- Deep inspiration, holding air (modulated Valsalva maneuver)
4. Descent
- Simultaneous hip and knee break
- Knees follow the direction of the feet (do not give in)
- Go down until the hip passes below the knee line
- Maintain a neutral spine at all times
- Time: 2 to 3 seconds
5. Ascent
- Push off the floor with your heels
- Hips and shoulders rise together
- Avoid “good morning” (hips rising beforehand)
- Exhale on the second half of the climb
6. Between repetitions
- Keep core contracted
- Take a breather at the top before the next descent
- Keep bar stable
The most common mistakes
Mistake 1: Knee valgus (collapsing inwards)
Cause: gluteus medius weakness, lack of consciousness, hip mobility.
Correction:
- Gluteus activation before (mini-band)
- Reduce load temporarily
- Cue “separate the floor with your feet”
- Strengthen abduction (lateral leg elevation)
Error 2: loss of lumbar lordosis at the bottom (“butt wink”)
Cause: limited hip mobility, limited ankle mobility, depth beyond capacity.
Correction:
- Work on ankle mobility (dorsiflexion)
- Wear heels or sneakers
- Stop at the depth where you can maintain lordosis
- Hip mobility (Bulgarian bodyweight squat)
Mistake 3: Heel coming off the ground
Cause: ankle mobility, weight distributed forward.
Correction:
- Ankle mobility (static lunges with wall ankle mobility)
- Heel sneaker
- Thinking “step hard on the ground”
Mistake 4: bar swinging forward
Cause: core weakness, poorly positioned bar, inconsistent technique.
Correction:
- Core reinforcement (plank, deadbug)
- Check bar positioning
- Film and compare
Mistake 5: Uneven depth
Cause: lack of consistency, ego lifting, variable mobility.
Correction:
- Use a bench or box behind as a reference
- Reduce load until technique stabilizes
- A repetition is not valid if it is not at depth
Mistake 6: Locking knees before the bar leaves the rack
Cause: lack of standardization.
Fix: consistent pre-lift routine.
Main variations
High bar
- Bar on top of the trapeze
- More vertical trunk
- More quadriceps
- Common style in weightlifting and gyms
Low bar
- Lower bar (rear deltoid)
- More inclined trunk
- More posterior thigh and glute
- Allows greater load
- Common style in powerlifting
Front squat
- Bar on anterior deltoid
- Very vertical trunk
- High recruitment of quadriceps and core
- Demanding on wrist and shoulder mobility
Goblet squat
- Dumbbell or kettlebell held at chest
- Great for beginners
- Teaches correct posture
- Limited in load
Bulgarian squat
- Rear leg supported on bench
- Unilateral, corrects asymmetries
- High recruitment of glutes and quadriceps
- Lowest absolute load
Squats with pause
- Stop 1 to 3 seconds at the bottom
- Eliminate momentum, focus on strength
Front squat with crossover (Zercher)
- Advanced variation; bar in the crook of the elbow
- High core demand
Specific heating
- Ankle mobility: 2x10 dorsiflexions
- Hip mobility: 2 min world’s greatest stretch
- Glute bridge: 2x15
- Bodyweight squats: 2x10
- Empty bar: 2x8
- Progressive load until workload
More about warming up in Warming up and mobility before training.
Squats for different goals
| Objective | Series | Reps | Intensity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 a 5 | 3 a 6 | 80 a 90% 1RM |
| Hypertrophy | 3 a 5 | 6 a 12 | 65 a 80% 1RM |
| Resistance | 2 a 4 | 15 a 25 | 50 a 65% 1RM |
| Technique | 3 a 5 | 5 | light load, focus on pattern |
Myths
“Squats shorten the spine.” Myth. Momentary compression is normal and does not cause damage.
“Deep squats ruin the knee.” Evidence shows otherwise. Depth improves joint stability.
“The knee cannot go beyond the toe.” Simplification. In deep squats, the knee passes naturally. As long as the load is well distributed, everything is fine.
“Squats are only for men/bodybuilders.” Absurd. One of the best exercises for any healthy person.
“Smith machine equals free.” No. Movement pattern is different; free requires stabilization.
Tips used by personal trainers
- Film 2 angles (front and side) for 3 weeks; compare evolution
- If free squats are not working for your individual anatomy, cable squats or front squats may be more suitable.
- Create identical pre-lift routine: breathing, feet, gaze — reduces variability
- On bad days, squatting with a smaller load and more reps still generates adaptation; you don’t need to always force 1RM
- Deload every 4 to 8 weeks on heavy squats prevents burnout
Key Points
- Feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly open
- Descend to hip below knee with neutral spine
- Knees follow the line of the feet, heels on the floor
- Push the floor to climb
- Film and progress gradually
Additional reading: