kneeling squats

Kneeling Squats are a squat variation designed to target and isolate the glute muscles. This type of squat is particularly beneficial for individuals seeking to improve their glute gains and achieve greater glute activation during their squats.

Here we will explore Kneeling Squats in depth, the specific muscles they activate, the correct technique for execution, their benefits, common mistakes to avoid, recommendations for reps and sets, strategies for incorporating them into your workouts, and finally exercises that work the glutes in a similar way.

Muscles Worked When Performing Kneeling Squats

Kneeling Squats primarily engage the following key muscle groups:

Glutes (Gluteus Maximus): Kneeling Squats specifically target the glutes, the largest muscle in your body. This exercise is highly effective for glute building, strengthening and targeted activation.

Quads: This exercise will also naturally work your quads on the way back up. Building strong quads will support your performance on a wide range of exercises.

Hamstrings: From a secondary perspective your hamstrings are engaged as they support you in coming back up from the lower part of this movement.

Hip Flexors: As with all exercises that move from the hips, the hip flexors are there to support you. The more you use them, the stronger they get. Contributing to your overall lower body strength.

You can use the muscle highlighted image at the top of this page for a visual guide of the muscles worked.

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How to Perform Kneeling Squats

1. Start Position: Start kneeling with your thighs and upper body upright. Maintain good posture and alignment as you would with any squat. So bum out, chest high and look directly ahead of you.

2. Bar Placement: Position the bar across your shoulders, exactly how you would with a standard Barbell Back Squat.

3. Execution: As always, sit back into the squat. With the Kneeling Squat you should ensure your glutes touch your heels at the bottom, but don’t just sit there, touch and come straight back up to start position.

4. Power Back Up: Powerfully push yourself upward, squeezing your glutes tightly at the top. Hold for a second, then sit back into your next rep.

5. Go for reps.

Other Weight Types You Can Use to Perform This Exercise

Besides the traditional barbell method, you can also perform this exercise with a dumbbell or kettlebell, held in a front rack position.

Benefits of Kneeling Squats

Glute Engagement: Kneeling squats are exceptional for isolating and engaging the glutes, this is beneficial for anyone who may be struggling with building strength or general activation of the glutes, especially with traditional squats.

Quad Gains: You will naturally work your quads during this exercise, take advantage of the kneeling position in this exercise as it can really help you focus on quad engagement too.

Variation for Glute Activation: Kneeling Squats offer a valuable alternative to regular squats, this is simply a different approach to recruiting similar muscle groups. Because you are kneeling, your body can laser focus on your glutes and quads, unlike regular squats which recruit several other muscle groups.

Kneeling Squats: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Failure to Focus on the Glutes: Ensure that you maintain a strong mind-muscle connection throughout the exercise, as this is essential for getting the most out of your Kneeling Squats. Mind muscle connection works, because it ensures the target muscle is being worked throughout and not slacking while other muscle groups or joints take the load unintentionally.

Getting Distracted: Keep your attention on the exercise throughout, make sure you are engaging all the right muscle groups. Improper form can lead to acute or repetitive strain injury, particularly if you regularly perform this exercise with sloppy form.

Forgetting to use Clips: If you're using a barbell and a rack, be sure to secure the plates with clips to prevent any unexpected plate movement.

Reps and Sets

The number of reps and sets you perform depends on your current strength with this exercise.

Beginners: Start with simply mastering the move. Keep in mind that if you’re just starting out, 3 reps is a valid set.

To determine how many reps/sets of Kneeling Squats you should start with, you first need to figure out how many reps you can comfortably perform. Then add 2, and perform that number of reps for 3 sets.

For example; let’s say you can perform 4 reps comfortably. Add 2 to make 6 reps. Perform those 6 reps 3 times over, allowing yourself sufficient rest inbetween.

Experienced lifters: You know your body and its abilities better than anyone, use your own judgment.

We recommend that you avoid performing more than 12 reps per set. If you’re comfortably performing 12 reps for up to 6 sets, it’s time to make the exercise more challenging.

How to Make Kneeling Squats More Challenging

Add weight or slow down. These are two very simple ways to make Kneeling Squats more challenging. When you add weight, do this with caution. You only need to add more weight if you are comfortably performing your reps without any struggle towards the end.

Alternatively, you can change the type of weight, different weight distributions hit differently. Perhaps try performing your Kneeling Squats with a kettlebell clutched in rack position in front of your chest.

Finally, slowing the movement down is an excellent way to increase the time under tension, which in turn will increase your gains.

How to Incorporate Kneeling Squats into Your Workouts

Kneeling Squats best belong in a lower body, leg or bum and thighs workout plan.

Whichever workout plan you add your Kneeling Squats to, just be mindful of its placement. This can be a challenging exercise when loaded with weight, but it is not likely to be the most exhaustive exercise in your plan. You should always prioritise the exercise that uses the most weight, muscle groups and expends the most energy. You can learn more about exercise order here.

Exercises That Work Similar Muscles to Kneeling Squats

Exercises like Barbell Back Squats or Sumo Squats, Deadlifts and Good Mornings are great compound moves to help further strengthen your ability to perform Kneeling Squats. Compound exercises are crucial for muscle growth since they allow you to move more overall weight than isolation exercises, helping you to build the muscle faster.

You can also pair this exercise with other squat variations, such as the Goblet Squat, Dumbbell Sumo Squat or the Leg Press Machine (with a wide foot position for better glute engagement). If you’re looking for more glute isolation exercises, you can perform Cable Kickbacks, Hip Thrusts or a Single Leg Glute Bridge. A combination of compound and isolation exercises is recommended for well rounded results.

You can find more Bum Exercises at the bottom of this page. Or you can check out our entire exercise database broken down by muscle group here.

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