Trap Bar Squat

The Trap Bar Squat is an effective lower body exercise that targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.

To perform the exercise:

  1. Stand inside the trap bar with feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Bend at the hips and knees to grasp the handles.
  3. Keep your chest up and back straight as you stand up, lifting the bar.
  4. Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping the bar close to your body.
  5. Push through your heels to return to the starting position.

How to perform the Trap Bar Squat

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Trap Bar Squat using your body weight.
  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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Variations of Trap Bar Squat

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