Barbell Elevated Heel Squat
- Zielmuskel
- —
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Körperregion
- Thighs
- Typ
- Strength
The barbell elevated heel squat is a back-squat variation performed with your heels raised on a small plate or wedge, which increases ankle dorsiflexion and lets you keep a more upright torso. That upright position shifts the emphasis onto the front of your thighs, making it a strong builder for the quadriceps while still loading the rest of the legs.
Barbell Elevated Heel Squat: So führst du sie aus
- 1Set a barbell in a rack at upper-chest height and place a low plate or wedge where your heels will sit.
- 2Step under the bar, rest it across your upper back and rear shoulders, and grip it slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- 3Stand the bar out of the rack, step back, and set your heels on the elevation with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- 4Brace your core, keep your chest tall, and take a deep breath before you descend.
- 5Bend your knees and hips to lower into the squat, letting your knees travel forward over your toes while your torso stays upright.
- 6Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your weight balanced through the whole foot.
- 7Drive up through your legs and stand back to full extension, exhaling near the top.
- 8Complete your reps, then step forward and re-rack the bar safely.
Technik-Tipps
- Keep your torso as upright as the heel elevation allows so the work stays on the front of your thighs rather than shifting to your hips.
- Use a small, stable elevation (a few centimetres) — too high makes the position wobbly and hard to control.
- Brace your abs hard and hold the breath through the descent to keep your spine stable under the bar.
- Control the lowering phase rather than dropping, and only go as deep as you can while staying balanced.
- Use a spotter or set the rack's safety arms whenever you train close to your limit.
Häufige Fehler
- Stacking the heels too high, which makes the squat unstable and shifts load onto the knees instead of building strength.
- Letting the torso pitch forward, which cancels out the upright, quad-focused benefit of the elevated heel position.
- Letting the heels drift off the elevation mid-rep, which kills your stable base and balance.
- Cutting the depth short, which reduces the work done by the thighs over the full range.
- Rounding the lower back under load, which puts the spine at risk during the lift.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the barbell elevated heel squat work?
It mainly works the muscles of the thighs, with the quadriceps on the front of the thigh taking on extra emphasis because the raised heels let you keep a more upright torso.
Why elevate your heels when squatting?
Raising the heels increases ankle dorsiflexion, so you can keep your torso more upright and let your knees travel forward. That position biases the work toward the front of your thighs (the quads).
How is this different from a regular barbell back squat?
It is a back-squat variation. The only change is the raised heels, which keep you more upright and shift more of the effort onto the quadriceps instead of the hips and lower back.
Is the barbell elevated heel squat good for beginners?
Yes, if you start light and keep the elevation small. It is a good option for lifters who struggle to stay upright in a normal squat, but practise the movement with an empty bar first.
How many sets and reps should I do?
For building thigh strength and size, 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with a controlled tempo is a sensible default. Adjust the load so the last couple of reps are challenging but your form holds.
