Barbell Exercises for Legs

Barbell Squat

• Place a barbell on top of your shoulders behind your neck and crouch down until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Half Squat

• Place a barbell on top of your shoulders behind your neck and crouch down until your knees are at 90 degree angles.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Half Squat - Wide-Stance

• Place a barbell on top of your shoulders behind your neck and crouch down until your knees are at 135 degree angles.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Front Squat - Heels-Elevated

• Place a barbell on top of your shoulders in front of your neck, heels on top of a small step, arms crossed in front of your shoulders and knees at 90 degree angles.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Front Squat - to Bench; Heels-Elevated

• Sit on one end of a bench, place a barbell on top of your shoulders in front of your neck, arms crossed in front of your shoulders.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Front Half Squat - Wide-Stance

• Place a barbell on top of your shoulders in front of your neck, arms crossed in front of your shoulders, knees at 90 degree angles.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Hack Squat - Wide-Stance

• Crouch down and hold a barbell below your buttocks, arms extended.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Hack Squat - Heels-Elevated

• Crouch down and hold a barbell below your buttocks, arms extended, heels on top of a small step.
  
  
• Push up with your legs and buttocks to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Front Lunge

• Stand up and place a barbell on top of your shoulders behind your neck.
  
  
• Take a wide step forward so that your knee shows a 90 degree angle and slowly bring yourself back up after a short pause. Alternate feet between repetitions.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Front Lunge - Foot on Side

• Stand up and place a barbell on top of your shoulders behind your neck.
  
  
• Take a wide step forward so that your knee shows a 90 degree angle and slowly bring yourself back up after a short pause. Alternate feet between repetitions.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Step-Up

• Hold a barbell behind your neck on top of your shoulders and place one foot on top of a bench in front of you.
  
  
• Push up with your leg which is on the bench to stand up and slowly bring yourself back down after a short pause. Alternate feet between repetitions.
  
  
• Keep your back straight throughout.
  
  

Barbell Calf Raise - Seated

• Sit down on the bench, place the front of your feet on top of the step and hold a barbell with both hands on top of your thighs.
  
  
• Raise the barbell by standing on your toes and slowly lower it back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Make sure that only the calf muscles are exercising.
  
  

Barbell Calf Raise - Standing

• Stand up, place the front of your feet on top of a small step and hold a barbell on top of your shoulders behind your neck.
  
  
• Raise yourself by standing on your toes and slowly lower yourself back down after a short pause.
  
  
• Make sure that only the calf muscles are exercising.
  
  

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