Sissy Squat
Muscles worked: Quads.
How to do it
- Standing upright, with feet at shoulder width and toes raised, use one hand to hold onto the beams of a squat rack and the opposite arm to hold a plate on top of your chest.
- As you use one arm to hold yourself, bend at the knees and slowly lower your torso toward the ground by bringing your pelvis and knees forward.
- After your one second hold, use your thigh muscles to bring your torso back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of times.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Knees travel forward, lean back, heels rise
- Brutal quad stretch - hold a post for balance
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 8 to 15 rep range, progressing in 1 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Bodyweight movement: log added weight only, and your records account for your logged bodyweight. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. 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 sissy 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.