Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Barbell Overhead Squat: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The barbell overhead squat is a compound exercise that targets the quads and requires holding a barbell overhead while performing a squat. It demands significant strength, balance, mobility, and coordination.

Primary muscles
Quads
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the barbell overhead squat
Front view: muscles worked by the barbell overhead squat. Primary: quads. Secondary: obliques, hamstrings, abs, glutes and calves.
Back view: muscles worked by the barbell overhead squat. Primary: quads. Secondary: obliques, hamstrings, abs, glutes and calves.
Primary Secondary

How to do the barbell overhead squat

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.
  2. Step 2: Hold the barbell with a wide grip, positioning it overhead with your arms fully extended.
  3. Step 3: Engage your core and lower your body down into a squat position, keeping your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell overhead squat by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Barbell Overhead Squat alternatives

More exercises that train the quads as their main target:

More quads exercises

See the best quad exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.