Legs · Barbell
Barbell Overhead Squat
How to do the barbell overhead 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
Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, keeping your chest up. Drive through your heels to return to standing.
- 1Maintain an upright torso and feel your shoulders stabilize the bar overhead
- 2Engage your quads, glutes, and core to control the squat
- 3Keep the bar in line with your mid-foot throughout the movement
Common mistakes
- Don't let the bar drift forward or your wrists collapse
- Avoid collapsing your chest or rounding your back
- Don't allow your knees to cave inward
Muscles worked
The barbell overhead squat mainly works the quads, glutes, and side delts, with the upper abs, hamstrings, triceps, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Side DeltsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- TricepsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
Barbell Overhead Squat strength standards
See how your barbell overhead squat ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM155 lb
Silvere1RM225 lb
Golde1RM307.5 lb
Platinume1RM392.5 lb
Diamonde1RM442.5 lb
Champione1RM482.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the barbell overhead 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 April 2026.