Legs · Bodyweight
Holding Squat
How to do the holding squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lower into a squat with feet shoulder-width apart and thighs roughly parallel to the floor. Hold this bottom position still, keeping tension through the legs and a tall chest, for the prescribed time before standing.
- 1Feel a steady burn build in your quads and glutes as you hold
- 2Keep your weight in your heels and your chest tall
- 3Brace your core to keep the spine neutral through the hold
Common mistakes
- Do not let your knees cave inward or your heels lift
- Avoid rounding your back or letting your chest collapse
- Do not let the hips creep up and shorten the hold
Muscles worked
The holding squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the holding 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.