10 Best Frankenstein Squat Alternatives for Glute Strength
If you can't or won't do Frankenstein squats, use movements that emphasize hip extension and knee drive to load the glutes. Try barbell hip thrusts, goblet squats, Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats and kettlebell swings. Cue: drive hips forward and squeeze the glutes at the top to maximize posterior chain activation.
Original Exercise: Frankenstein Squat
How to Perform Frankenstein Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell in front of your body with straight arms.
- Keeping your back straight, lower your body by bending at the knees and hips, as if sitting back into a chair.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Frankenstein Squat Alternatives
1. Barbell Full Zercher Squat
99.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell in the crooks of your elbows, with your hands gripping the barbell for stability.
- Engage your core and keep your chest lifted as you lower your hips back and down into a squat position.
- Keep your knees in line with your toes and your weight in your heels.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
2. Barbell Clean-grip Front Squat
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper chest, with your elbows pointing forward.
- Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back, as if you are sitting back into a chair.
- Keep your chest up and your back straight as you lower down, making sure your knees do not go past your toes.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees.
3. Barbell Front Chest Squat
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell in front of your chest with your hands shoulder-width apart, elbows pointing forward.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat position, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
4. Barbell Front Squat
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell in front of your shoulders, resting it on your collarbone and shoulders.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat position, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
5. Barbell Zercher Squat
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell in the crooks of your elbows, with your hands gripping the bar for stability.
- Engage your core and keep your chest lifted as you lower your hips back and down into a squat position.
- Keep your knees in line with your toes and your weight in your heels.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
6. Barbell Full Squat (side Pov)
86% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you begin to lower your body down.
- Bend at the knees and hips, pushing your hips back and down as if sitting into a chair.
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
7. Barbell High Bar Squat
86% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Place the barbell on your upper back, resting it on your traps.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you begin to squat down, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
- Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Drive through your heels to stand back up, extending your hips and knees.
8. Barbell Full Squat (back Pov)
86% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you begin to lower your body down.
- Bend at the knees and hips, pushing your hips back and down as if sitting into a chair.
- Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
9. Barbell Low Bar Squat
85.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper back.
- Keeping your chest up and core engaged, slowly lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back.
- Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Barbell Speed Squat
84.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
- Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.
- Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your hips back and down, as if sitting into a chair.
- Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.
- Drive through your heels to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Why You Might Need a Frankenstein Squat Alternative
You may swap Frankenstein squats because of hip or knee pain, limited barbell access, mobility restrictions, or a programming need for different loading patterns. Substitutes let you preserve glute stimulus while changing joint demands; for example, hip thrusts shift load into horizontal hip extension, increasing gluteus maximus activation, whereas split squats reduce lumbar shear by isolating one leg. Use cues like “hinge at the hips with a neutral spine” or “push through the heel” to prioritize glute engagement and avoid compensatory quad- or low-back dominance.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Choose a substitute based on your goal, equipment, and injury history. For pure glute hypertrophy pick hip-dominant moves (barbell hip thrusts, Romanian deadlifts) that increase hip extension torque; cue “drive through the heel and squeeze at peak contraction.” If you need unilateral stability, use Bulgarian split squats or single-leg glute bridges to correct imbalances. Consider knee flexion demands—more knee bend increases quadriceps load—so select variations that match your biomechanics and progressive-overload plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Frankenstein Squat work?
Frankenstein squats primarily target the gluteus maximus and the quadriceps, with secondary work from the hamstrings and core for stability. Cue: keep chest up and drive through the heels to bias glute activation and reduce quad dominance.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Frankenstein Squat?
The single-leg glute bridge is an effective bodyweight alternative that isolates the gluteus maximus while limiting knee stress. Cue: press through the heel, lift hips until the torso and thigh form a straight line, and consciously squeeze the working glute at the top for maximal activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Frankenstein Squat?
Yes—you can build glute and upper-leg muscle using a range of compound and unilateral exercises that provide progressive overload. Focus on increasing load, reps, or time under tension and use cues like “contract the glutes on hip extension” to ensure the posterior chain receives sufficient stimulus.
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