5 Best Weighted Sissy Squat Alternatives for Quad Hypertrophy
The Weighted Sissy Squat is done standing.
Original Exercise: Weighted Sissy Squat
- Primary muscle
- Quads
- Equipment
- Weighted
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Type
- Isolation
Secondary muscles: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves
How to perform Weighted Sissy Squat
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward.
- Hold a weight in front of your chest with both hands, or place a barbell across your upper back.
- Keeping your chest up and your core engaged, slowly lower your body down by bending at the knees and hips.
- 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 return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Weighted Sissy Squat FAQ
What muscles does Weighted Sissy Squat work?
The weighted sissy squat primarily targets the quadriceps, rectus femoris and the vasti, by creating heavy knee-extension torque with minimal hip extension. It loads the patellofemoral joint and emphasizes the distal knee extensors more than glutes or hamstrings.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Weighted Sissy Squat?
The reverse Nordic is the top bodyweight substitute for quad isolation: kneel, keep hips extended, and lean back at the knees while controlling the descent to emphasize the quads. Cue: brace the core, keep a straight line from chest to knees, and stop before losing lumbar neutral.
Find Alternatives for Any Exercise
Search the exercise database and filter the ranked substitutes by the equipment you own.