One Leg Barbell Squat
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
Starting position
End position
How to Do One Leg Barbell Squat
- Start by standing about 2 to 3 feet in front of a flat bench with your back facing the bench. Have a barbell in front of you on the floor. Tip: Your feet should be shoulder width apart from each other.
- Bend the knees and use a pronated grip with your hands being wider than shoulder width apart from each other to lift the barbell up until you can rest it on your chest.
- Then lift the barbell over your head and rest it on the base of your neck. Move one foot back so that your toe is resting on the flat bench. Your other foot should be stationary in front of you. Keep your head up at all times as looking down will get you off balance and also maintain a straight back. Tip: Make sure your back is straight and chest is out while performing this exercise.
- As you inhale, slowly lower your leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor. At this point, your knee should be over your toes. Your chest should be directly above the middle of your thigh.
- Leading with the chest and hips and contracting the quadriceps, elevate your leg back to the starting position as you exhale.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- Switch legs and repeat the movement.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to One Leg Barbell Squat
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Barbell Squat To A Bench
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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2
Front Barbell Squat
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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3
Front Barbell Squat To A Bench
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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4
Smith Single-Leg Split Squat
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a machine.
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5
Single-Leg High Box Squat
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads.
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6
Barbell Full Squat
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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7
Barbell Squat
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
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8
Kettlebell Pistol Squat
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a kettlebell.
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9
One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a kettlebell.
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10
Wide Stance Barbell Squat
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the quads, using a barbell.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do one leg barbell squat work?
One Leg Barbell Squat primarily works the quads. The calves, glutes and hamstrings assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for one leg barbell squat?
One Leg Barbell Squat uses barbell.
One Leg Barbell Squat: is it suitable for beginners?
One Leg Barbell Squat is rated advanced. High skill or high load. Worth earning rather than starting with.
What can I do instead of one leg barbell squat?
Barbell Squat To A Bench, Front Barbell Squat, Front Barbell Squat To A Bench train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my one leg barbell squat reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; one leg barbell squat can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your One Leg Barbell Squat with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.