Article

Squat, squat, squat, squat, squat…

One evening before falling asleep, I caught myself wondering just how many different squat variations there are. What a fantastic exercise, isn't it??? So how many are there??? I've tried to find as many variations as possible online and bring them to you. Surely some are still left unnamed.

100 squats

My coach said it last year, loud and clear,
go wild on leg day, have no fear.
If you want strong legs, my man,
don’t skip squats, do them while you can.
So one day I gave squats a go,
a full hundred in a row.
The first twenty were child’s play,
then I went all in, all the way.
By thirty it was getting tough,
my sweat-soaked shirt was proof enough.
By the time I got to fifty,
I asked my partner for water, thirsty.
What to do, keep going on,
or leave it here and be gone?
That wouldn’t be like me, you see,
I’ll keep on going, that’s me.
The sixth ten was underway,
I felt my body wear away.
No, this just won’t break,
so what if my legs shake.
Now I might even throw up,
hang in there, man, you’re almost done, don’t stop.
A hundred in sight, twenty more to go,
the finish is near, I know.
I’m truly wiped out through and through,
yet I’m glad, and I think to myself,
I wonder what my body will do tomorrow?
96, 97, 98, 99, one hundred,
unbelievable, that road of suffering is over.
I drop down, my legs give way,
lay a mat down, I pray.
Yes, my legs are shot, the coach knew what was what,
this exercise in my plan deserves a spot.

-Janar Rückenberg

Squat variations

Exercise 1

Regular squat with a barbell on the upper back

Back squat, also known as the traditional squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 2

Quarter squat

Quarter squat, or ¼ squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 3

Half squat

Half squat, or ½ squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 4

Deep squat

Deep squat; colloquially also called the “ass to grass squat”
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 5

Front squat

Front squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 6

Sumo squat

Sumo squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 7

Box squat

Box squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 8

Zercher squat

Zercher squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 9

Barbell hack squat

Barbell hack squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 10

Frog squat

Frog squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 11

Bulgarian split squat with dumbbells or a barbell

Bulgarian split squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 12

Barbell squat with straight arms overhead

Overhead squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 13

Smith machine squat

Smith machine squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 14

Dumbbell squat

Dumbbell squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 15

Speed squat

Speed squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 16

Barbell side split squat

Barbell side split squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 17

Safety bar squat

Safety bar squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 18

Dumbbell jump squat

Dumbbell jump squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 19

Ski squat

Ski squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 20

Dumbbell split squat

Dumbbell split squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 21

One-leg squat, or pistol squat

One-leg squat, or pistol squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 22

Squat with feet together

Narrow-stance squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 23

Sissy squat

Sissy squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 24

Paused squat

Paused squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 25

Manta Ray squat

Manta Ray squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 26

Trap bar squat

Trap bar squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 27

Belt squat

Belt squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 28

Prisoner squat

Prisoner squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 29

Hindu squat

Hindu squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 30

Mini squat

Mini squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 31

Rolling squat

Rolling squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 32

Static half squat

Static squat hold
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 33

Goblet squat with a kettlebell or dumbbell

Goblet squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 34

Bench-touch squat

Squat to bench
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 35

Ballerina squat, or plié squat

Plié squat
▶ Watch the video
Exercise 36

Kneeling squat

Kneeling squat
▶ Watch the video
Important note Not every squat variation suits every lifter. Choose an exercise based on your mobility, training level and goals. When learning a new or technically demanding exercise, start with a light weight and ask a coach for advice if needed.
For most squat variations you can use either a barbell or dumbbells, and for some of them I've added a note about this. There are surely more variations that I left out. I should also add that the videos don't truly claim to show perfect technique; they simply aim to give a general overview of what each variation involves. I've also included the English term for each one, so that when you read English-language literature you'll have an idea of what is being described. Some variations were quite hard to translate, so I took the liberty of giving a few of them names of my own, staying as close to the original as possible, though most are one-to-one translations. If a particular variation catches your interest, you can look into it further yourself. Once again, it's truly amazing how many different ways there are to squat.

Author: Janar Rückenberg

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