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- Table of Contents
- A Squat Setup Checklist That Saves Your Knees (and Ego)
- How to Choose the Right Underrated Squat
- The 17 Underrated Squats You Should Try
- 1) Counterbalance Squat
- 2) Pause Squat
- 3) Tempo Squat
- 4) 1.5-Rep Squat
- 5) Box Squat (Controlled)
- 6) Pin Squat / Anderson Squat
- 7) Hatfield Squat
- 8) Zercher Squat
- 9) Landmine Squat
- 10) Belt Squat
- 11) Safety Bar Squat (SSB)
- 12) Heels-Elevated “Cyclist” Squat
- 13) Spanish Squat
- 14) Cossack Squat
- 15) Assisted Sissy Squat
- 16) Overhead Squat (Light and Technical)
- 17) Jefferson Squat
- Bonus: A Simple Weekly Rotation (So You Actually Use These)
- Real-World Experiences: What Happens When You Rotate These In
- Wrap-Up
Squats are the “plain pizza” of strength training: reliable, classic, and somehow everyone has strong opinions about them.
But if your lower-body workout has been stuck on the same back-squat loop (or the same bodyweight squat forever),
you’re missing out on a whole menu of squat variations that can build strength, improve mobility, and make leg day feel
less like déjà vu and more like progress.
This guide highlights 17 underrated squat variationssome are technique tweaks (pause/tempo), some are equipment swaps
(landmine/belt), and some are weird-but-wonderful options (Spanish squats, Jefferson squats). Each one comes with:
what it’s good for, how to do it, what to avoid, and an easy way to program it.
Quick safety note: If you’re new to lifting (or you’re a teen still building foundational strength), prioritize form, control, and light-to-moderate loads. If a squat variation causes sharp pain, stop and get guidance from a qualified coach, athletic trainer, or medical professional.
A Squat Setup Checklist That Saves Your Knees (and Ego)
Before we get fancy, let’s get effective. Squats are a full-body movement disguised as a leg exercise.
When things feel “off,” it’s usually one of these basics:
- Foot tripod: Keep pressure through the big toe, little toe, and heel. (Not tiptoes. You’re not a ballet squat-swan.)
- Knees track with toes: Let your knees move in the same direction your toes point. Avoid knees collapsing inward.
- Neutral spine: Keep your back strong and steadyno collapsing into a rounded “shrimp posture.”
- Brace first: Lightly tighten your core like you’re about to be poked in the side. Then squat.
- Depth is earned: Go as low as you can while staying controlled and aligned. Depth improves with practice, mobility, and strengthnot with wishful thinking.
With that foundation, the underrated squat variations below become toolsnot circus tricks.
How to Choose the Right Underrated Squat
Think of squat variations like different camera lenses. Same subject (the squat pattern), different angles (stress, muscle emphasis, and skill demand).
Pick based on your goal:
- Build clean technique: Counterbalance squats, goblet squats, tempo squats.
- Get stronger through sticking points: Pause squats, pin/Anderson squats, box squats.
- Light up the quads without heavy spinal loading: Cyclist squats, Spanish squats, belt squats, Hatfield squats.
- Improve mobility and control: Cossack squats, overhead squats, deep squat holds (as tolerated).
- Make training feel fresh: Landmine squats, Zercher squats, Jefferson squats.
Programming rule that keeps you progressing: keep one “main” squat pattern and rotate one “supporting” squat.
Example: Back squat stays the main lift; you rotate tempo squats one month, then pause squats, then belt squats.
The 17 Underrated Squats You Should Try
1) Counterbalance Squat
Why it’s underrated: It’s the “training wheels” that actually make you better, not dependent.
Best for: Learning depth, staying upright, improving squat mobility.
How to do it: Hold a light plate or dumbbell straight out in front of your chest. Sit down between your hips while keeping your chest tall. Let the counterweight help you find balance.
Avoid: Letting the weight pull you forward into a rounded back.
Try it: 3 sets of 8–12 reps, slow and clean. Great as a warm-up before heavier squats.
2) Pause Squat
Why it’s underrated: It exposes weak positions instantlylike turning on a bright light in a messy room.
Best for: Control, confidence at the bottom, strength out of the hole.
How to do it: Squat down with control, pause 1–3 seconds at your deepest solid position, then stand up without bouncing.
Avoid: Relaxing completely in the bottom or shifting your feet during the pause.
Try it: 4 sets of 4–6 reps at a moderate load, resting 2 minutes. Form should look the same rep-to-rep.
3) Tempo Squat
Why it’s underrated: It builds “bulletproof” mechanics by making you earn every inch of the descent.
Best for: Positioning, tendon-friendly control, building muscle with lighter loads.
How to do it: Use a tempo like 3–1–1 (3 seconds down, 1 second pause, 1 second up). Stay braced and steady.
Avoid: Racing the last half of the descent or losing knee tracking as you slow down.
Try it: 3 sets of 6–10 reps. If your form collapses by rep 9, congratulationsyou found your honest rep range.
4) 1.5-Rep Squat
Why it’s underrated: It makes light weight feel suspiciously heavy (in a productive way).
Best for: Time under tension, quad focus, improving control near parallel.
How to do it: Squat all the way down, come halfway up, go back down, then stand upthat’s one rep.
Avoid: Cutting depth on the full squat portion.
Try it: 3 sets of 6–8 reps (which will feel like 12–16). Keep the load modest.
5) Box Squat (Controlled)
Why it’s underrated: It teaches consistent depth and solid hip engagementwithout turning every rep into a mystery novel.
Best for: Depth consistency, posterior chain emphasis, confidence for newer lifters.
How to do it: Set a box/bench to a safe depth (often around parallel). Sit back under control, lightly touch the box, pause briefly, then drive up.
Avoid: Plopping onto the box or rocking forward like you’re trying to start a lawnmower.
Try it: 5 sets of 3–5 reps, focusing on identical reps and crisp tension.
6) Pin Squat / Anderson Squat
Why it’s underrated: It removes the bounce and forces pure strength from a dead stop.
Best for: Sticking points, concentric power, bracing practice.
How to do it: Set safety pins in a rack at your desired depth. Start with the bar resting on pins. Get tight, then stand upno dip, no bounce.
Avoid: Starting loose and “yanking” the bar off the pins.
Try it: 6 sets of 2–4 reps, leaving 1–2 reps in the tank. Quality over chaos.
7) Hatfield Squat
Why it’s underrated: You can squat hard while holding onto supportsso legs work like crazy without your back or shoulders being the limiting factor.
Best for: Quad loading, safer overload, building confidence under load.
How to do it: Typically done with a safety squat bar. Hold the rack/uprights/handles lightly for balance and assistance while you squat.
Avoid: Turning it into a “pull-up squat” where your arms do the work.
Try it: 3–5 sets of 6–10 reps. Use assistance to keep your torso solid and your reps consistent.
8) Zercher Squat
Why it’s underrated: It’s a front-loaded squat that also teaches bracing and upper-back strengthlike a squat and a core exercise shook hands.
Best for: Core bracing, upright torso, building grit (and quads/glutes).
How to do it: Hold the bar in the crooks of your elbows (use a pad/towel if needed). Keep elbows close, brace, squat down, and stand tall.
Avoid: Letting the bar drift forward or rounding your upper back to “save” the elbows.
Try it: 4 sets of 5–8 reps. Start lighter than your ego wants.
9) Landmine Squat
Why it’s underrated: The angled bar path helps you stay upright and makes loading feel smoothergreat for people who struggle with barbell positioning.
Best for: Upright squatting, learning bracing, leg training with less shoulder stress.
How to do it: Place one end of a barbell in a landmine attachment (or a secure corner setup). Hold the free end with both hands near your chest. Squat down and stand up, keeping the bar close.
Avoid: Letting your elbows flare and the bar drift away from your center.
Try it: 3 sets of 8–12 reps. Add load gradually; keep the motion smooth.
10) Belt Squat
Why it’s underrated: It lets you smoke your legs while giving your spine a breakuseful when you want hard work without “back fatigue tax.”
Best for: Leg volume, quad/glute work, people managing low-back sensitivity.
How to do it: Use a belt squat machine, cable setup, or belt-squat platform. The load hangs from your hips, not your shoulders. Squat with an upright torso and controlled depth.
Avoid: Cutting depth short just to move more weight.
Try it: 4 sets of 10–15 reps. This is a great “finish strong” squat.
11) Safety Bar Squat (SSB)
Why it’s underrated: It’s a squat variation that often feels more comfortable on shoulders while still challenging your legs and upper back.
Best for: Building strength with a more upright torso, reducing shoulder strain.
How to do it: Set the safety bar across your upper back, grip the handles, brace, then squat with steady knee tracking and a tall chest.
Avoid: Letting the bar pull you forward into a “good morning” squat unless that’s your deliberate training choice.
Try it: 5 sets of 3–6 reps for strength, or 3 sets of 8–10 for muscle building.
12) Heels-Elevated “Cyclist” Squat
Why it’s underrated: It’s a quad-focused squat that can be done with light load and still feel brutally effective.
Best for: Quad emphasis, upright squatting, building control through the knees and ankles (as tolerated).
How to do it: Elevate your heels on a wedge/slant board or small plates. Keep stance relatively narrow, torso tall, and squat down with control.
Avoid: Letting your knees cave inward or rushing the bottom position.
Try it: 3 sets of 8–15 reps. Start bodyweight or goblet-style before adding more load.
13) Spanish Squat
Why it’s underrated: It’s a sneaky way to load the quads with a friendlier-feeling setup for many peopleoften used in “prep and prehab” contexts.
Best for: Quad strength, controlled knee mechanics, warm-ups before heavier squats (when appropriate).
How to do it: Loop a thick band or strap behind your knees and anchor it in front of you at knee height. Step back so the band supports you. Keep shins fairly vertical, sit back, and squat while staying tall.
Avoid: Band placement that digs into the knee joint or causes pain. Comfort matters here.
Try it: 2–4 sets of 8–15 reps, or 3 sets of 30–45 seconds as a “quad burner” finisher.
14) Cossack Squat
Why it’s underrated: It trains strength and mobility sidewaysbecause life (and sports) rarely happen in a straight line.
Best for: Hip mobility, adductors, lateral strength, ankle control.
How to do it: Take a wide stance. Shift into one side, squatting deep on that leg while the other leg stays straighter. Keep your chest proud and your foot flat on the squatting side.
Avoid: Letting the squatting heel lift or collapsing your torso forward.
Try it: 3 sets of 5–8 reps per side. Start with bodyweight, then add a light counterbalance if needed.
15) Assisted Sissy Squat
Why it’s underrated: It isolates the quads hardwithout needing heavy weightswhen done carefully and supported.
Best for: Quad isolation, controlled knee extension strength (only if it feels good for your joints).
How to do it: Hold onto a sturdy support. Keep hips extended (don’t sit back), let knees travel forward as you lean back under control, then return smoothly. Start shallow.
Avoid: Forcing deep range if it irritates knees. This one is “earn depth slowly” territory.
Try it: 2–3 sets of 6–12 reps, using support and a small range at first.
16) Overhead Squat (Light and Technical)
Why it’s underrated: It’s a full-body skill that teaches posture, shoulder stability, and clean movementlike a squat wearing a tuxedo.
Best for: Mobility, coordination, midline stability, improving your “regular” squat mechanics.
How to do it: Start with a dowel or empty bar. Lock arms overhead, keep ribs down, and squat slowly while keeping the weight stacked over midfoot.
Avoid: Adding load before you can stay balanced and controlled.
Try it: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps as a warm-up skill drill, not a max-effort lift.
17) Jefferson Squat
Why it’s underrated: It’s a squat-hinge hybrid that challenges your legs and trunk from a totally different anglegreat for variety and functional strength.
Best for: Lower-body strength with a unique loading pattern, grip and bracing, breaking routine boredom.
How to do it: Straddle a barbell (one foot in front, one behind). Grip the bar with hands inside your knees. Brace, squat down, then stand tall. Switch stance periodically to stay balanced side-to-side.
Avoid: Twisting through the torso. Keep your trunk braced and your shoulders square.
Try it: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, alternating stance each set (or every few reps).
Bonus: A Simple Weekly Rotation (So You Actually Use These)
If you try all 17 in one week, your legs will file a formal complaint. Instead, rotate with intention:
- Day A (Main Strength): Back squat or SSB squat + Pause squats (lighter) + accessories
- Day B (Quad Focus / Lower Back Friendly): Belt squat or Hatfield squat + Cyclist squats + calf/hip work
- Day C (Skill + Mobility): Overhead squat (dowel/light) + Cossack squats + Counterbalance squat holds
Keep the main lift consistent for 4–6 weeks, and rotate the supporting squat every 2–4 weeks based on what you need most:
control, depth, quads, mobility, or variety.
Real-World Experiences: What Happens When You Rotate These In
Here’s the funny thing about “underrated” squats: they tend to feel underwhelming right up until they expose something you’ve been getting away with.
Not in a dramatic, horror-movie waymore like the moment you realize your phone’s been on 2% battery all day and you just kept pretending it was fine.
A lot of people notice the first big shift when they add tempo squats or pause squats. Suddenly the bottom position isn’t a
drive-by neighborhood; it’s a place you actually have to visit, breathe, and stay organized. The common “experience” here is that the weight on the bar
drops (a little), but the quality of each rep skyrockets. You finish sets feeling like you trained your brain and your legs at the same timewhich is exactly
what good squatting does.
The second shift usually comes from counterbalance squats and overhead squats. Not because they magically grant mobility,
but because they make you honest about your balance and positioning. People often report that their squat depth improves when they stop chasing depth
with a heavy bar and start “earning” it with a lighter, cleaner pattern. The counterbalance version especially can feel like you found the hidden “upright
posture” setting your body forgot existed. Overhead squats, even with a dowel, tend to reveal where you leak tension: ribs flaring, hips shifting,
feet collapsing, or the bar drifting forward. None of that is bad newsit’s a roadmap.
Then come the quads. Oh, the quads. Introduce cyclist squats and Spanish squats and you’ll understand why people call them
“simple” and then whisper, “I hate them,” with deep respect. The typical experience is a big quad pump with relatively light loads. That’s a win for anyone
who wants hard leg training without turning every session into a spinal-loading contest. Many lifters find these variations useful when they’re trying to
build leg strength, reinforce knee control, or just get more quality volume without feeling beat up.
If you’ve ever gotten stuck halfway up a squat and thought, “Is my barbell glued to gravity?” then box squats and pin/Anderson squats
can be a game changer. People often describe box squats as giving them confidence because the depth is consistentno guessing, no “maybe that was parallel?”
drama. Pin squats feel different: they’re all about starting strong from a dead stop. The first time you do them with good form, you may realize your
bracing has been a little… negotiable. After a few weeks, many lifters report that their regular squats feel more stable off the bottom because they learned
how to get tight before moving, not while moving.
Finally, there’s the “variety with purpose” category: landmine squats, Zercher squats, and Jefferson squats.
These tend to keep training interesting while still building real strength. The landmine squat often feels surprisingly smooth and upright, especially for
people who struggle with front-rack discomfort. Zerchers usually humble you (politely) by demanding bracing and upper-back effort. Jefferson squats can feel
awkward for about five minutes, and then suddenly… kind of awesome, like your body figured out the pattern and decided it wanted to be good at it.
The most consistent “experience” across all 17 is this: when you rotate squat variations intentionally, you stop treating squats like a single exercise and
start treating them like a skill you can improve. You’ll build strength, control, and confidenceand you’ll have more tools to adjust your training based
on how your body feels that day. That’s not just smarter training. It’s training you can stick with.
Wrap-Up
The best squat variation isn’t the one that looks coolest on social media. It’s the one that helps you train consistently, build strength safely,
and improve your movement over time. Pick two or three underrated squats from this list that match your goal (control, quads, mobility, or variety),
run them for a few weeks, and track your progress like a scientistwith slightly better music.
Your legs don’t need endless novelty. They need smart variety, solid technique, and a plan you can actually repeat. Use these 17 squat variations as your
toolboxand your workouts will stop feeling stuck.
