A squat variation using a safety bar with padded handles, reducing shoulder strain and helping maintain an upright torso.
- +Reduces stress on shoulders and wrists
- +Easier to maintain proper posture
- +Great for building quad and core strength
- –Can still strain lower back if form breaks
- –Less common in some gyms
This exercise targets:
Quadriceps
Quads
Glutes
Glutes
Hamstrings
Hamstrings
Adductors
Ratios are approximate and can vary depending on form and technique.
How to perform
- Set bar in rack at mid‑chest height and set safety pins just below your squat depth
- Step under pads, place bar on upper traps, grab the front handles lightly
- Stand tall, feet shoulder‑width, toes slightly out, weight mid‑foot
- Inhale, brace your core, keep chest up and back neutral
- Unrack, take 1–2 small steps back, set your stance
- Sit down between your hips, knees track over toes, heels stay planted
- Squat to at least parallel (or your safe depth) while staying upright
- Drive up through mid‑foot/heels, push knees out, keep braced; walk forward and re‑rack