Legs · Barbell
Barbell Jefferson Squat
How to do the barbell jefferson 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
Straddle a barbell so it runs between your legs, gripping it with one hand in front and one behind you. Keep your chest up and spine neutral as you sit your hips down into a squat, then drive through both heels to stand. Switch your grip stance between sets to balance the load.
- 1Quads and glutes driving you up out of the bottom
- 2Even pressure through both heels
- 3Core bracing against the offset load
Common mistakes
- Letting your knees cave inward
- Rotating or twisting your torso toward the bar
- Rounding your lower back as you descend
Muscles worked
The barbell jefferson squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the lower back, hamstrings, forearms, obliques, calves, and adductors assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- ForearmsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- CalvesSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell jefferson 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.