Legs · Bodyweight
Weighted Full Squat From Deficit
How to do the weighted full squat from deficit, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Stand on a low platform or plates holding a weight at your chest. Squat all the way down to full depth, letting the deficit add range below parallel, then drive through your heels to stand tall.
- 1Quads and glutes loading deep in the bottom position
- 2Heels rooted and chest tall through the extra depth
- 3Strong drive out of the hole to standing
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees cave inward at the bottom
- Rounding the lower back to chase depth
- Bouncing out of the bottom instead of controlling it
Muscles worked
The weighted full squat from deficit mainly works the quads and glutes, with the lower back, hamstrings, adductors, upper abs, lower abs, and calves assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the weighted full squat from deficit 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.