The barbell squat is a cornerstone exercise for building lower body strength. However, there are many ways of performing a squat, and this article introduces a range of variations of the classic back squat.
Whether you’re looking to improve your mobility, muscle growth, or bring new challenges to your workout routine, these alternatives offer something for every fitness goal. Let us guide you through front squats, overhead squats, and other variations to expand your exercise repertoire beyond the traditional back squat.
What if I’m Not Able to Squat at All?
If you’re in a position where the squat isn’t an alternative, regardless of variation, we have an article that offers 5 barbell squat alternatives instead.
Barbell Squat Variations
- Front Squat
- Overhead Squat
- Box Squat
- Pin Squat
- Pause Squat
- Safety Bar Squat
- Sumo Squat
- Goblet Squat
- Smith Machine Squat
- Air Squat
1. Front Squat
Both front squats and back squats are excellent choices if you want to build lower body strength, but there are some differences between them.
In the front squat, you have the barbell in front of your body, which will lead to a more upright position. It might require a little more mobility in your wrists, ankles, and shoulders. On the other hand, since the center of gravity is shifted forward compared to the back squat, many find it easier to get deep in the front squat.
If you have lower back pain or a problem hitting proper squat depth the front squat might be a good alternative to the back squat.
For some people, the front squat is a bit easier to learn, which may warrant its use. It could also be a stepping stone in a squat progression toward learning the back squat.
Read more: Front Squat vs. Back Squat for Strength & Muscle Growth
2. Overhead Squat
The overhead squat is an exercise that challenges not just your lower body strength but also your core stability, shoulder mobility, and balance. It requires very good mobility, especially in the shoulders, hips, and ankles, to maintain proper form.
The overhead squat is an appreciated exercise for its ability to highlight weaknesses and imbalances, making it not only an exercise but also a diagnostic tool. Learning to perform a perfect overhead squat can lead to significant improvements in other lifts and overall athletic performance, and it’s especially appreciated among Olympic weightlifters and crossfitters.
3. Box Squat
The box squat is a variant of the squat where you use a box (or bench or similar) to squat down against.
The exercise can be performed in several ways. One way is to only slightly touch the box with your glutes when you squat. That is, you never really put much of your weight at all on the box. Used this way, the box can serve as an indicator for you, helping you make sure that you are reaching your desired depth.
Another common way to perform the exercise is to actually sit down and put your weight on the box for a few moments before you rise up again. Used this way, box squats can spare your joints from the otherwise high forces that are generated when you turn at the bottom of a squat. It can also teach positional awareness and train force generation from the bottom.
4. Pin Squat
The pin squat is a variation of the regular barbell squat where the bar is lowered to a couple of safety pins in a power rack.
By pausing when the bar is resting on the pins, you remove the stretch reflex and get to work on starting strength and force production out of the bottom position. This can be a good variation for for lifters who struggle with sticking points or want to learn to feel when you are at the right depth in your squat.
5. Pause Squat
The pause squat is a great complement to the regular back squat. By pausing a few moments in the bottom position, you can help your back squat in several ways. By spending more time in the bottom of the squat, you’ll teach your body where you’re at depth, and that it’s not a scary place to be. This can help you with consistency in your squats, and make sure not to start cutting off depth when adding more weight.
Pause squat is also a good variation if you want to keep the load down, but still want to challenge yourself without adding more weight. It is also great for technique training/adjustments, and learning your own weaknesses in the squat.
6. Safety Bar Squat
Thanks to the (kind of weird) shape of the safety bar, the weight will be shifted a little bit more forward than the regular back squat, and be a bit more similar to a front squat. This means that the safety bar squat has a slightly more focus on core and quad strength than the regular back squat.
The safety bar squat is a good alternative for someone who wants to include front squat into their training program but is having trouble with the execution. It could also be a good alternative to the regular back squat if you’re having trouble with your shoulder, elbow, or wrist mobility.
7. Sumo Squat
The sumo squat is performed with the feet are placed wider and turned outward, which shifts the focus toward the glutes and adductors. This wider stance reduces the need for ankle mobility but increases the demand for hip mobility, particularly in external rotation.
8. Goblet Squat
The goblet squat is often easier to master than the traditional back squat and can serve as an excellent choice while practicing the squat movement. Holding the weight close to or against your chest allows for a more upright posture compared to a barbell squat, making it easier to squat deep.
Although this variation is easier to learn and generally gentler on the lower back, it does have its limitations, particularly when it comes to using very heavy weights. This makes it less suitable for heavy lifting compared to barbell squats.
9. Smith Machine Squat
Smith machine squats differ from the free barbell squat primarily by its completely straight bar path, something that only happens in the free barbell squat when the bar is loaded with several times the lifter’s body weight.
The fixed bar path lowers the requirements of balance and stabilization and might enable an increased focus on the muscles being trained.
Read more: Smith Machine vs. Free Barbell Squats?
10. Air Squat
The air squat is a classic exercise that requires no equipment. For the beginner, this exercise might initiate a strength gain all on its own, and for the more experienced trainee, it might serve as a mobility-increasing exercise, warm-up, or rehabilitation.
While barbell squats are good for building strength and muscle mass due to the added resistance, air squats offer a more low-impact option. They also provide a useful way to develop mobility and core stability, good for progressing to more weighted squat variations.
Read more: A Simple 1-2-3 Progression for Learning the Barbell Squat
How to Implement Squat Variations in Your Workout Routine
Implementing one (or several) variations of the traditional barbell squat can be a good way to work on your squatting technique without pushing the squat volume up too high. It can also be a good way of shifting focus in your training, or bringing your motivation up a bit if your squats haven’t been improving for some time. However, make sure to have a plan, and let your body adapt to the variation you pick. If you go to the gym without a plan and try a new variation each session, you probably won’t see any results.
If you want to grow bigger and stronger, the key to fast and consistent gains in strength and muscle is to increase the weight you use in your training or to do more reps, regardless of which exercises you’re doing.
To help with this, you might want to track your workout progress, suggestively in our workout log app Strengthlog.
It’s almost impossible to keep track of your progress without a workout log. Our app StrengthLog is 100% free to download and use as a workout tracker and general strength training app. All the basic functionality is free – forever.
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Training Programs That Include Squatting
If you feel that building a workout routine on your own is a bit overwhelming, we’ve got you covered! In the linked article below, we’ve gathered all our programs focusing on the squat, so that you can easily find one that suits your needs. Of course, they are all available in our workout log app StrengthLog.