Exercise Guide
Belt Squat
A squat loaded from a belt at the hips instead of a bar on the back. The spine carries none of it, which makes it the go-to squat for a sore lower back.
BeginnerStrengthPushCompound
Form
Start
Mid
End
Illustrations by Bryl Lim for Workout Guide, after Everkinetic. Used unchanged under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Details
Primary Muscle
Quads
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Beginner
Category
Strength
Force
Push
Mechanic
Compound
Secondary Muscles
Glutes
How to Perform
- 1
Fasten the belt around your hips and stand on the platform with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- 2
Take the weight, hold the handles lightly, and stand tall.
- 3
Squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your torso upright.
- 4
Drive back up through your mid-foot.
Tips
- ★Because there is no bar on your back you can stay far more upright - use that range.
- ★Hold the handles for balance only; pulling on them takes load off your legs.