Barbell Jefferson Squat

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. 2. Position the barbell in front of you, resting it on your shoulders. 3. Loosen your grip on the barbell so that one hand is in front of your body and the other hand is behind your body. 4. Bend your knees and lower your body down into a squat position, keeping your back straight. 5. Push through your heels and raise your body back up to the starting position. 6. Repeat the squat movement for the desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Barbell Jefferson Squat

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Barbell Jefferson Squat using your barbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your quadriceps.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your quadriceps rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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