10 Best Barbell Full Squat Alternatives for Glute Hypertrophy

The Barbell Full Squat is done standing with a barbell. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Barbell Full Squat, the Weighted Squat and the Barbell Speed Squat. Three harder versions, the Barbell Low Bar Squat, the Barbell Jefferson Squat and the Barbell Jump Squat, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Barbell Full SquatWatch the Barbell Full Squat

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Barbell Full Squat

The steps for the Barbell Full Squat itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Glutes, with quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, core · Barbell · Intermediate · Compound

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
  2. Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.
  3. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you begin to lower your body down.
  4. Bend at the knees and hips, pushing your hips back and down as if sitting into a chair.
  5. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
  6. Keep your knees in line with your toes and your weight in your heels.
  7. Drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Barbell Full Squat Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Barbell Full Squat on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Barbell Full SquatPlay demonstration

    1. Barbell Full Squat

    99% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    It uses the same equipment and still works the glutes.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
    2. Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.
    3. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you begin to lower your body down.
    4. Bend at the knees and hips, pushing your hips back and down as if sitting into a chair.
    5. Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
    6. Keep your knees in line with your toes and your weight in your heels.
    7. Drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees.
    8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
  2. Weighted SquatPlay demonstration

    2. Weighted Squat

    99% match

    Glutes · Intermediate · Compound

    A straight swap when you want to keep working the glutes.

    • Weighted
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
    2. Hold a weight in front of your chest or on your shoulders.
    3. Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your hips down and back, as if sitting into a chair.
    4. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
    5. Push through your heels to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
  4. Barbell Low Bar SquatPlay demonstration

    Progression

    4. Barbell Low Bar Squat

    97% match

    Glutes · Advanced · Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the glutes.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper back.
    2. Keeping your chest up and core engaged, slowly lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
    3. Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
    4. Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: two-legged squat, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Barbell Full Squat
    • Body position: standing, the same as the Barbell Full Squat

Barbell Full Squat FAQ

What muscles does Barbell Full Squat (back Pov) work?

The full back squat primarily targets the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and adductors, with significant demand on the erector spinae and core for stability. Cue: drive through the heels and maintain a neutral spine to maximize glute and quad activation and reduce lumbar shear.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Full Squat (back Pov)?

A bodyweight Bulgarian split squat is the best single-equipment substitute because it heavily loads each glute while reducing spinal compression. Cue: lean slightly forward from the hips and drive through the front heel to emphasize gluteus maximus contraction during ascent.

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