Exercise

Overhead Squat: How to Do It, Muscles Worked

Last updated 26 July 2026

What muscles does the Overhead Squat work?

The Overhead Squat primarily targets the quadriceps, and also recruits the abdominals, calves, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, shoulders, triceps as secondary muscles. It's classified as a expert-level olympic weightlifting movement using barbell.

What are the most common Overhead Squat mistakes?

• Rising with the hips first ("good morning squat"), which shifts load off the legs and onto the lower back.
• Stopping the descent short of the target depth for the variation being trained.
• Holding the breath and bracing incorrectly instead of using a proper intra-abdominal brace.
• Letting the heels lift off the floor, which shifts balance forward onto the toes.

How should I program the Overhead Squat — sets, reps and frequency?

As a lower-body compound lift, it responds well to a moderate-to-heavy 4-8 reps for 3-5 sets when trained for strength, or 8-12 reps for hypertrophy. Most lifters train it once or twice a week as a primary movement in a push/pull/legs or upper/lower split. Add small amounts of weight or an extra rep once every working set can be completed with good form — the same progressive overload principle behind every strength exercise in the library.

What are good Overhead Squat variations and alternatives?

• Barbell Full Squat — barbell, intermediate level, quadriceps
• Barbell Squat — barbell, beginner level, quadriceps
• Box Squat — barbell, intermediate level, quadriceps
• Zercher Squats — barbell, expert level, quadriceps

Overhead Squat at a glance

Attribute	Value
Level	Expert
Equipment	Barbell
Category	Olympic Weightlifting
Primary muscles	Quadriceps
Secondary muscles	Abdominals, Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Shoulders, Triceps

How to do the Overhead Squat, step by step:

1. Step 1. Start out by having a barbell in front of you on the floor. Your feet should be wider than shoulder width apart from each other.
2. Step 2. Bend the knees and use a pronated grip (palms facing you) to grab the barbell. Your hands should be at a wider than shoulder width apart from each other before lifting. Once you are positioned, lift the barbell up until you can rest it on your chest.
3. Step 3. Move the barbell over and slightly behind your head and make sure your arms are fully extended. Keep your head up at all times and also maintain a straight back. Retract your shoulder blades. This is your starting position.
4. Step 4. Slowly lower the weight by bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground while inhaling. Tip: Keep your back straight while performing this exercise to avoid any injuries and your arms should remain extended and over your head at all times.
5. Step 5. Now use your feet and legs to help bring the weight back up to the starting position while exhaling.
6. Step 6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.