Legs · Barbell
Barbell Bench Squat
How to do the barbell bench squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set a bench behind you and rack a barbell across your upper back. Squat down by pushing your hips back until your glutes lightly touch the bench, then drive through your heels to stand back up. Tap the bench for depth without sitting your weight onto it.
- 1Your quads and glutes working as you lower and stand
- 2A light tap of the bench to gauge depth on every rep
- 3Your heels driving into the floor to stand
Common mistakes
- Plopping down and resting your full weight on the bench
- Letting your knees cave inward or your heels lift
- Rounding your back or letting your chest collapse forward
Muscles worked
The barbell bench squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell bench squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.