How many sets and reps of the heels-elevated barbell back squat should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Three or four sets of 8 to 10 reps at a lighter load than your normal flat-footed squat is the right way to start, since the deeper knee bend this setup allows changes how heavy a given weight feels.

What can I do instead of the heels-elevated barbell back squat with no barbell or plates for the heels?

The heels-elevated goblet squat trains the same ankle and quad emphasis with just a dumbbell and a shoe wedge or small plate, which is a natural first step before loading a bar.

What is the heels-elevated barbell back squat good for and when should you use the goblet version instead?

Raising the heels while loading a barbell lets bodybuilders and lifters with limited ankle mobility pile on real weight for quad size in a moderate rep range. It's not the best entry point for someone still learning the position, since balancing a loaded bar on the back while the knees travel far forward is a more advanced skill than the front-loaded goblet version, which is better to master first.

Intermediate

Heels-Elevated Barbell Back Squat

Raising the heels lets the knees drift forward and keeps the torso more vertical, so the quads take the brunt of the work instead of the hips. This is a favorite for bodybuilders chasing quad size and for lifters with limited ankle mobility. Program it as a main quad lift in moderate rep ranges.

Equipment: Barbell, Plate
Body part: Quads
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis
Browse by movement: Squat

How to do it

1
Set two small plates or a wedge under where your heels will sit and place the bar in a high-bar position on the traps.
2
Step back and stand with heels on the plates, feet about hip- to shoulder-width, toes slightly out.
3
Brace hard and take a big breath into the belly.
4
Break at the knees and hips together, sitting straight down with the torso upright.
5
Descend until the hips drop below the knees or to a controlled full depth.
6
Drive up through the heels and midfoot, keeping the chest tall the whole way.

Tips

Keep the bar stacked over the middle of the foot even though the heels are raised.
Let the knees track forward over the toes to load the quads, but keep them in line with the feet.
Start lighter than your flat-footed squat, the deeper knee bend changes the leverage.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees cave inward as they travel forward over the toes, a different fault from simply tracking forward, and one the wedge does nothing to fix on its own.
The bar creeps forward toward the balls of the feet as the torso stays upright, so the weight ends up loading the front of the foot instead of the middle where the wedge was set up to keep it.
Once the set gets heavy, the same working weight from a flat-footed squat gets loaded onto the bar without adjustment, even though the deeper knee bend here changes the leverage completely.
Letting the heels roll off the outer edge of the plates mid-set shifts the base of support without warning, right as the knees are already traveling forward.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the heels-elevated barbell back squat should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Three or four sets of 8 to 10 reps at a lighter load than your normal flat-footed squat is the right way to start, since the deeper knee bend this setup allows changes how heavy a given weight feels.
What can I do instead of the heels-elevated barbell back squat with no barbell or plates for the heels?: The heels-elevated goblet squat trains the same ankle and quad emphasis with just a dumbbell and a shoe wedge or small plate, which is a natural first step before loading a bar.
What is the heels-elevated barbell back squat good for and when should you use the goblet version instead?: Raising the heels while loading a barbell lets bodybuilders and lifters with limited ankle mobility pile on real weight for quad size in a moderate rep range. It's not the best entry point for someone still learning the position, since balancing a loaded bar on the back while the knees travel far forward is a more advanced skill than the front-loaded goblet version, which is better to master first.

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