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

Safety Bar Squat

Also called SSB squat

BarbellCompoundTakes some practice
Front
Back
Primary Secondary

Works

Quads

Also glutes, upper back & lats

You need

Barbell, Squat rack

How to do itPictures · 3 steps
1Start
2Bottom
Main musclesAlso working
  1. 1Hold the handles with the pads on your shoulders
  2. 2Stay tall: the bar wants to tip you forward
  3. 3Squat deep and drive up through the whole foot

Most common mistake

Letting the upper back round as the bar pushes forward.

Watch a demo

Good for

  • Top 10 for quads
  • Easy to keep adding weight

Compare with

vs Belt Squatvs Heels-Elevated Goblet Squatvs Leg Press
A
For quads
#8 of 33
See the full list →
Research
80
Scored by hand
Results
Soon
From the app
How lifters rate itBe the first
S
A
B
C
D
F
Why research scores it 80
Target tensionStrong
Loaded stretchStrong
ProgressionExcellent
Low costStrong

A more upright squat than a back squat, which suits the quads and spares the shoulders.

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
  • AFront SquatBarbell

Takes

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needed to post
280