For quad growth
For quad growth, belt squat rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress, easier on the joints.
Reverse Nordic keeps more of the work on the quads.
Both are good choices, and they train the quads differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed. (Fonseca et al., 2014; Costa et al., 2021)
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Belt Squat. Loads the legs from the hips, so the quads work hard with no weight on the spine.
Reverse Nordic. Leaning back from the knees loads the quads, rectus femoris included, in a long stretch. Hard to add weight.
For quad growth, belt squat rates higher on our research criteria: easier to progress, easier on the joints. Reverse Nordic keeps more of the work on the quads. Both are good choices, and they train the quads differently. Using both across your week covers more of the muscle than either alone: in studies, varied exercises grew parts of a muscle that one exercise missed.
Belt squat is easier: it’s easy to learn, while reverse Nordic takes some practice.
Belt squat needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Reverse Nordic needs no equipment, so you can do it anywhere.
Belt squat: it rates Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric, against Good for reverse Nordic.