Form cues
- Lean back as one piece
- Keep hips extended
- Drive knees forward
- Stay on your toes
Exercise
Weighted Sissy Squat
Upper legs, weighted
A quad-focused squat variation done on the balls of the feet with a backward torso lean while holding added weight.
Target: quads. Also works: glutes, hamstrings, calves.
Steps
- Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and hold the weight securely in front of your chest or across your upper back.
- Rise onto the balls of your feet and brace your midsection.
- Lean your torso back in one straight line from knees to shoulders as your knees travel forward.
- Lower under control by bending your knees until you feel a strong stretch through the front of your thighs.
- Drive through the balls of your feet and straighten your knees to return to the start.
- Finish tall and reset your balance before the next repetition.
Common mistakes
- Bending forward at the hips during the descent
- Dropping the heels and shifting weight backward
- Letting the knees cave inward
- Lowering too fast and bouncing out of the bottom
Breathing
Inhale as you lower under control, then exhale as you drive back up to the starting position.
In the app, search for Weighted Sissy Squat and add it to a workout.