RepCount App IconRepCount

Back squat alternatives

Front squats retain a free-barbell squat. Hack squats and Smith squats offer guided setups, while goblet squats and dumbbell split squats work with different free weights.

These choices train the legs through knee and hip movement. They change load position, torso support or stance, and do not replace practice of the barbell back squat itself.

Two-frame anatomical illustration of a barbell back squat on a white background. On the left a muscular male figure stands upright, seen square from the front, with a loaded barbell across his upper back and both hands gripping it wide; from the front the bar's height on the back cannot be read. The fronts of both thighs are shaded red, as is a strip down the front of each shin. On the right the same figure is at the bottom of the rep, seen from the side and a little behind, hips at or below the knees in a deep squat with the feet flat and the toes turned out slightly; from this angle the red shading covers the fronts of the thighs and the inner thigh running up toward the groin. The buttock is in view in that frame and is not shaded, and nothing on the back of the thigh is shaded in either.
What equipment can you use?

Choose everything you have. Some exercises need two items, such as dumbbells and a flat bench. Choose floor space for options without equipment.

Your replacements

Choose your equipment above to see replacements.

Compare all alternatives

These options need different equipment. Use the finder above to show only the setups you can use.

  • Two anatomical illustrations of a man performing a barbell front squat against a white background. In the left frame he stands upright with a loaded bar resting across the fronts of his shoulders, fingertips under the bar and elbows pointing forward. In the right frame he holds the same front-rack position at the bottom of a deep squat, with his heels down, knees following his slightly turned-out feet and hips below knee height. The quadriceps are highlighted bright red in both frames. The glute area, inner thighs and part of the lower legs are also shaded red in the bottom frame. No squat rack, safety arms or collars are shown.

    Similar movement

    Front squat

    You need: Barbell and plates + Squat rack with safeties

    Why it fits
    Keeps a two-legged barbell squat with both hips and knees moving through the rep.
    What changes
    The bar rests at the front of the shoulders rather than across the upper back. The rack position and balance change, so back-squat loads do not transfer.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a man lowering and pressing a hack squat sled, with the front thighs and glutes highlighted.

    Similar movement

    Hack squat

    You need: Hack squat machine

    Why it fits
    Keeps a two-legged knee-and-hip movement using a supported machine setup.
    What changes
    Your back rests against a pad and the sled sets the path. This reduces the need to balance a free bar but changes the setup and loading.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a low-bar Smith machine squat shown standing and below parallel, with the thighs and glutes highlighted.

    Similar movement

    Smith machine squat

    You need: Smith machine

    Why it fits
    Keeps a loaded two-legged squat when a Smith machine is available.
    What changes
    Rails constrain the bar path. Foot position must suit that path, and the machine bar and counterbalance change what the displayed load means.
    See exercise guide
  • Anatomical illustration of a woman holding one dumbbell at her chest while performing a goblet squat, with the thighs and glutes highlighted.

    Similar movement

    Goblet squat

    You need: Dumbbells or Kettlebell

    Why it fits
    Keeps a two-legged squat using a weight held at the chest, without needing a barbell rack.
    What changes
    Holding the weight can limit the set before the legs do. It offers a different load position and may not provide enough resistance for the effort of a heavy back-squat set.
    See exercise guide
  • Side-view anatomical illustration of the bottom position of a dumbbell split squat, with a dumbbell held at each side, both feet on the floor and the thigh muscles highlighted.

    Different movement

    Dumbbell split squat

    You need: Dumbbells

    Why it fits
    Can keep knee-and-hip leg training in the workout with dumbbells held beside the body.
    What changes
    The split stance trains each side separately and adds different balance demands. It is not the same two-legged squat; plan reps for each side.
    See exercise guide
See the original exercise guide

How we choose replacements

These are curated alternatives, chosen for the movement and the job the exercise does in a workout. A shared muscle group is not enough. Read what changes before choosing: support, range of motion, balance and resistance can all differ. If your goal is to improve a specific lift, alternatives do not replace practice of that lift.

Explore alternatives by exercise