Quads · Compound movement
Belt Squat
A compound exercise for the quads, with the glutes working too. You need a belt squat machine.
Primary muscle
Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Belt Squat
- Attach the loading belt around your hips so the weight hangs between your legs, loading the body through the hips rather than the spine.
- Stand on the platform with feet shoulder width and grip the handrails lightly for balance, not to pull yourself up.
- Because the spine carries no bar, this is an excellent squat pattern for training the quads while sparing a fatigued or injured lower back.
- Descend by bending the knees and sitting down until the thighs reach at least parallel.
- Keep the torso tall and let the hip belt pull straight down, driving the knees forward over the toes for quad emphasis.
- Stand back up by pushing the platform away through the feet, keeping the core braced against the hanging load.
Suggested working range: 8–15 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Pulling up on the handrails to assist the lift instead of using them only for light balance.
- •Cutting depth short rather than sitting all the way down to at least parallel.
- •Letting the knees cave inward under the hanging hip load on the drive up.
- •Rounding the lower back at the bottom despite the spine being unloaded by the belt.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Belt Squat fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize quads volume.
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