Liftworthy
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Liftworthy

Every exercise ranked by research, by lifters and by results. Find what’s S-tier for your goal, then train it.

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Explore/Quads

Cossack Squat

BodyweightCompoundTakes some practiceOne side at a time
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Adductors, Quads

Also glutes

You need

Nothing but the floor

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Bottom
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Very wide stance, toes slightly out
  2. 2Shift into one hip and sit deep, the other leg straight
  3. 3Stay on the heel of the bent leg

Most common mistake

Folding forward to reach depth.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for skiing

Compare with

vs Wall Sitvs Lateral Lungevs Copenhagen Plank
C
For quads
#32 of 33
See the full list →
Research
43
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 43
Target tensionFair
Loaded stretchStrong
ProgressionFair
Low costGood

Research behind these criteria

  • Target tension: Zabaleta-Korta et al., 2021 · Kinoshita et al., 2023
  • Loaded stretch: Maeo et al., 2021 · Maeo et al., 2023 · Pedrosa et al., 2022 · Kassiano et al., 2023
  • Progression: Plotkin et al., 2022 · Pelland et al., 2026
  • Low cost: Schoenfeld et al., 2021 · Refalo et al., 2023
How scores work

Machine taken? Swap to

  • SHack SquatMachine
  • SPendulum SquatMachine
  • SSingle-Leg Leg PressMachine
  • AReverse NordicBodyweight

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