Legs · Leverage Machine
V-squat
How to do the v-squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Leverage Machine
- 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.
- 1Feel your quads and glutes working as you descend while keeping your heels grounded
- 2Maintain a neutral spine and tall chest to feel the load through your legs
- 3Press through the midfoot and drive knees outward to engage hips
Common mistakes
- Avoid rounding your back or hunching forward; hold onto support as needed
- Don't let your knees cave in or collapse; control alignment
- Avoid shifting weight onto your toes; keep heels down
Muscles worked
The v-squat mainly works the quads and glutes, with the hamstrings, lower back, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
V-squat strength standards
See how your v-squat ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM137.5 lb
Silvere1RM242.5 lb
Golde1RM382.5 lb
Platinume1RM530 lb
Diamonde1RM617.5 lb
Champione1RM695 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 v-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.