Forget Squats — Bear Hug Squats Are The Underrated Core + Leg Destroyer

Ask any trainer to name the best leg exercise, and they’ll probably say “squats.” That’s hardly surprising given that they’re often called the king of exercises.

But calling squats the best leg exercise is a bit of an oversimplification. That’s because “squat” refers more to a movement pattern than a single exercise. Any movement involving simultaneous bending of the hips and knees can be considered a squat.

So, while I agree squats deserve their top-tier status, I’m not just talking about the classic barbell back squat—which is what most people picture when they hear the word.

Instead, I’m referring to any and all squat-based exercises, including:

• Front squats
• Smith machine squats
• Rear-foot elevated split squats
• Shrimp squats
• Sissy squats
• Squat jumps
• Step-ups
• Lunges
• Overhead squats
• Leg presses

Related: The 12 Best Squat Variations for Hypertrophy and Strength

Some of these might not even look like traditional squats, but biomechanically, they all share the same basic movement pattern.

One lesser-known variation that deserves more attention is the bear hug squat. Usually performed with a sandbag, this exercise hammers your legs and challenges your core, upper back, and arms. Of all the squat variations around, it’s arguably one of the most functional. 

In this article, I’ll break down what makes the bear hug squat so effective, how to do it, and which alternatives are worth adding to your program.

Bear Hug Squats—Muscles Worked

Bear hug squats are a compound exercise, which means they involve multiple muscles and joints. Like all squat variations, your legs will be doing a lot of the work but, because you’ll also be holding a weight to your chest, your upper body gets in on the action, too.

As such, the main muscles that bear hug squats challenge and develop include:

Quadriceps: The four muscles on the front of your thighs (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius) that are responsible for extending your knees.

Gluteus maximus: Known as the glutes for short, this is the largest muscle in the human body. Located on the back of your hip, the glutes are your primary hip extender.

Hamstrings: Located on the back of your thighs, your three hamstring muscles (biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus) are responsible for bending your knees and, with the glutes, extending your hips.

Core: The collective term for the muscles of your midsection, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae. These muscles control and stabilize your spine.

Latissimus dorsi: Located on either side of your upper back, the lats pull your upper arms in and back and are very active in this exercise as you hold the sandbag close to your body.

Rhomboids and trapezius: These muscles are found across and between your shoulder blades. They work to pull your shoulders down and back. As such, they’re very important muscles for posture and shoulder stability.

Biceps brachii: Usually called the biceps for short, this well-known muscle is responsible for bending your elbows.

Forearms: Bear hug squats challenge and develop your forearms and grip. You’ll need to hold on tight to stop your sandbag slipping from your hands.

Now you know which muscles you’ll be working during bear hug squats, let’s move on to how you perform this underrated exercise!

Bear Hug Squats: Step-by-Step Guide

Get more from bear hug squats while keeping your risk of injury to a minimum by following these steps:

1. Stand astride your sandbag with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly outward.
2. Squat down and slide your hands under the middle of the bag. Drop your chest, lift your hips, and brace your core.
3. Stand up and simultaneously pull the sandbag up and into your chest. Hold it tightly—link your hands together if you wish.
4. Keeping your torso relatively upright, bend your hips and knees and squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Lower the sandbag between your legs.
5. Drive your feet into the floor and stand up.
6. Reset your core and grip and repeat.
7. Continue for the desired number of reps.
8. Descend after your last squat and lower your sandbag to the floor.

Pro tips:

• Keep your lower back slightly arched throughout to reduce the risk of injury
• Inhale as you descend and exhale as you stand back up.
• Raise your heels on blocks to make this exercise more quads-centric.
• Use gym chalk on your wrists and hands to stop your sandbag from slipping.
• Experiment with your grip and stance to determine what works best. The size of your sandbag will affect your technique.

Now that you know how to perform bear hug squats correctly, let’s explore what makes this exercise so effective—and where it might fall short.

Bear Hug Squat Benefits and Drawbacks

Not sure if bear hug squats belong in your workouts? Consider these benefits and then decide!

A More Functional Squat

Other than your gym workout, when was the last time you had to squat down with a weight balanced on your back? Probably never! But, if you’ve got kids or pets, you’ve probably done movements like bear hug squats many times. This exercise will make a lot of everyday activities easier.

Almost A Full-Body Exercise

Bear hug squats work a long list of lower and upper-body muscles. In fact, the only body parts they don’t really involve are your chest, triceps, and shoulders. You can easily fix this by pairing them with push-ups in your workout.

Improve Your Posture

Holding a weight in front of your body forces you to use your postural muscles to keep your torso upright. This includes your core, upper, and lower back. Poor posture is a common problem affecting many people, especially desk workers. Bear hug squats secretly train your posture while building strength.

Related: Exercises to Fix Your Nerd Neck and Desk Slouch

Build a Stronger Grip

Sandbags are notoriously hard to hold. Their contents shift, making them awkward and more difficult to grip than dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells. Training with a sandbag instead of conventional weights will help develop a vice-like grip, and grip strength is a reliable indicator of future health and longevity (1).

Ideal for Home Workouts

Many home lifters have neither the space nor the budget for a squat rack, barbell, and weight plates. As such, barbell back squats are off their training menu. Sandbags are cheap, and bear hug squats don’t need a rack. Plus, if you fail mid-rep, you can just drop the weight to the floor—something I don’t recommend when training with a barbell.

While bear hug squats are a mostly beneficial exercise, there are also a few drawbacks to consider:

You’ll Need A Sandbag

Bear hug squats work best with a heavy sandbag. Whether you buy a commercial sandbag or make your own, you’ll still need one to do this exercise. However, there are some similarly effective alternatives that may be more convenient—discussed later in this article.  

Picking Up a Heavy Sandbag Can Be Awkward

Getting into position to start your set of bear hug squats can be tricky—especially when using a heavy load. Picking your sandbag up from the floor requires excellent mobility, a strong core, and perfect lifting technique. You’ll find this exercise easier if you start and end each set with your sandbag resting on a raised platform, such as a bench.

Holding A Sandbag To Your Chest Can Make It Hard To Breathe

While bear hug squats are predominately a strength exercise, your heart and breathing rate will probably skyrocket, too. Not only is this a cardiovascularly demanding exercise, but the position of the weight can also make it hard to breathe. Expect to end your set gasping for breath, and you may find that your performance is limited by your fitness and not your strength.

While bear hug squats are a great addition to most workouts, they’re not your only option—here are some effective variations and alternatives to keep things fresh and adaptable.

Bear Hug Squat Variations and Alternatives

Bear hug squats are a highly effective total body exercise, but that doesn’t mean you need to do them all the time. There are several variations and alternatives you can use to keep your workouts productive and interesting:

1. Plate Bear Hug Squats

No sandbag? No problem! You can perform a very similar exercise with a conventional weight plate. While this exercise works all the same muscles, it’s important to remember that you’ll lose some of the grip-strengthening benefits, and you must avoid dropping your weight plate, which is less of an issue when you train with a sandbag.

2. Dumbbell/Kettlebell Goblet Squat

Whether you use a dumbbell or kettlebell, goblet squats offer many of the same benefits as bear hug squats. They’re a great exercise for building leg mass and strength and they also involve your upper body more than barbell back squats. You’ll probably find it easier to get the weight into the right starting position, too.

3. Sandbag/Barbell Zercher Squat

With the Zercher position, you hold your weight in the crooks of your elbows rather than hugging it close to your chest. Done with a sandbag or barbell, you may find this position easier or more comfortable. However, the biomechanics of the exercise remain relatively unchanged.

4. Medicine Ball Bear Hug Squats

While sandbags are most lifter’s go-to tool for bear hug squats they aren’t the only option. A medicine ball can also work. Like sandbags, medicine balls won’t damage your floor when dropped, and are cheap and easy to store, so they’re ideal for home exercisers. Your grip won’t get such a good workout, but that’s a small price to pay for such convenience.

5. Sandbag Bear Hug Squat Iso Hold  

This exercise is a great way to end any leg workout—especially if you’ve already done several sets of conventional bear hug squats. Just grab your sandbag, squat down, and hold the bottom position for as long as you can. Keep your chest up, core braced and upper and lower body tight. This exercise is a killer finisher!

6. Sandbag Front-Loaded Step-Up

Step-ups are a unilateral leg exercise that also challenges balance and coordination. Bear-hugging a sandbag shifts your center of mass forward, increasing core engagement and upper-back activation. This variation mimics real-world lifting and is great for building leg strength one side at a time.

7. Resistance Band Zercher Squats

If you don’t have access to a sandbag or barbell, a heavy loop-type resistance band can work surprisingly well. Step on the band, loop it around your elbows (Zercher-style), and squat. The accommodating resistance challenges your quads, glutes, and core while keeping the load manageable for beginners or home workouts.

Bear Hug Squat—Closing Thoughts

Bear hug squats aren’t just a quirky exercise variation—they’re a serious, functional upgrade for your lower body training. With benefits that go beyond your legs, this underused movement deserves a place in your program. Whether you’re training at home or just need a break from the barbell, give bear hug squats a shot.

Ready to level up your squat game? Grab a sandbag and get to work—your legs, upper back, arms, core, and lungs will thank you.

Related: Check out our sandbag training guide for even more options!

References:

1 – Soysal P, Hurst C, Demurtas J, Firth J, Howden R, Yang L, Tully MA, Koyanagi A, Ilie PC, López-Sánchez GF, Schwingshackl L, Veronese N, Smith L. Handgrip strength and health outcomes: Umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies. J Sport Health Sci. 2021 May;10(3):290-295. doi: 10.1016/j.jshs.2020.06.009. Epub 2020 Jun 19. PMID: 32565244; PMCID: PMC8167328.

---