Legs · Barbell
Barbell Cossack Squat
How to do the barbell cossack squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Hold a barbell across your upper back and stand with a wide stance. Shift your weight onto one leg and sink into a deep squat while the other leg stays straight, then drive back up and alternate to the other side. Keep your grounded heel down throughout.
- 1You should feel a deep stretch in the inner thigh of the straight leg
- 2The bent leg's glutes and quads drive you up and down
- 3Keep your heel grounded and chest proud throughout the movement
Common mistakes
- Don't round your lower back or let your spine collapse
- Avoid lifting your heel off the floor
- Don't let your knee cave in; track it over your toes
Muscles worked
The barbell cossack squat mainly works the quads, glutes, and adductors, with the hamstrings, lower back, upper abs, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- AdductorsPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
Kovo programs the barbell cossack 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.