Back squat
4 sets of 5-8 squats with a barbell, 3 min rest. Warm up with lighter sets first.
- Slot
- Strength
- Focus
- General strength
- Time
- 20 min
- Intensity
- High intensity
- Injury risk
- Moderate injury risk
- Equipment
- Barbell, Squat rack
How to do it
Set the bar in a rack at chest height and step under it so it rests on your upper back. Brace your core, sit down until your thighs are at least level with the floor, keeping your back flat and knees following your toes, then stand up. Warm up with a few lighter sets, then do 4 sets of 5-8 reps at a weight that leaves 2 reps in reserve, with 3 minutes rest. Learn the lift with light weight first, ideally with a coach.
Run it now
The same timer as the app: a five-second get-ready, then every round and rest counted down with a beep. Keep this page open while you train.
Back squat
0:00 / 20:05
Ready
20:05
4 rounds
4 sets of 5-8 squats with a barbell, 3 min rest. Warm up with lighter sets first.
High risk: read the protocol, stop if anything feels wrong.
- 4
- rounds
- 3:00
- rest
- 20:05
- total
Done.
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Take the quizWho it's for
Climbers who have a year or two of steady climbing behind them and want stronger legs for high steps, rock-overs and big drop knees. If you've never done a barbell lift, start with goblet squats for a couple of months and learn the back squat with a coach. If your knees or back are already sore, get a physio to look at it first.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the warm-up sets. Do two or three lighter sets before the working weight every time. They're where you check the depth and the brace before the load goes on.
- Cutting the depth as the weight goes up. Thighs at least level with the floor on every rep. A heavier quarter squat trains less and loads the knees in a worse position.
- Letting the knees cave in. Knees follow the toes all the way down and up. If they drift inwards, the weight is too heavy for now.
- Grinding to failure. Leave 2 reps in reserve, as the catalog says. Squats to failure cost days of recovery that your climbing needs.
How to progress
Stay in the 5 to 8 range. When all four sets reach eight with 2 in reserve, add a small amount of weight and go back to five, keeping the full 3 minutes rest. Once a week is enough for most climbers, and twice is the ceiling. Keep it away from the day before a hard session on the wall, because tired legs make for sloppy feet.
When it fits
The training periods this exercise fits into in Blok Sessions.
Base Lots of easy climbing, good movement and aerobic fitness.
Strength Stronger fingers and pulling, with weight you control.
Power Explosive moves, momentum and coordination.
Performance Peak for a trip or a comp: focus, reading problems, trying hard.