Overhead Squat
Muscles worked: Quads (assisted by glutes, front delts, abs).
How to do it
- Start out by having a barbell in front of you on the floor.
- Bend the knees and use a pronated grip (palms facing you) to grab the barbell.
- Move the barbell over and slightly behind your head and make sure your arms are fully extended.
- Slowly lower the weight by bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground while inhaling.
- Now use your feet and legs to help bring the weight back up to the starting position while exhaling.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Wide snatch grip locked overhead
- Bar stays over mid-foot - mobility is the limit
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 2 to 5 rep range, progressing in 2.5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Loading the bar? Use the plate calculator, and check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Sumo Deadlift - glutes, quads
- Trap Bar Deadlift - quads, glutes
- Barbell Back Squat - quads, glutes
- Front Squat - quads
Track the overhead squat properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreFree download, iPhone. Currently on the New Zealand App Store, wider rollout to follow.
Photos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.