Half Squat
The half squat is a bodyweight squat taken to roughly half depth with no hand support, using the stronger upper half of the squat. It works mainly the quadriceps and, in the Hybrid Calisthenics squat progression, is the first rung done without assistance.
Also called: Half Squats, Partial Bodyweight Squat, Quarter to Half Squat · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: squat
Step by step
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes forward or turned slightly out.
- Hold your arms straight out in front or crossed at your chest, whichever is comfortable.
- Squat down to roughly half depth, letting your torso lean forward slightly as you bend at the hips and knees together.
- Drive back up to standing under control.
- After the set, add a set of assisted or jackknife squats to keep training the bottom of the range.
- Hips and knees bend together
- Down to about half depth
- Heels stay down
- Knees track over your toes
- Stand all the way up
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Quadriceps: vastus lateralis | Prime mover | B |
| Quadriceps: vastus medialis | Prime mover | B |
| Gluteus maximus | Secondary | B |
| Adductors | Secondary | B |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Folding at the hips
Fix: Bend the hips and knees together so the whole leg works.
Heels lifting
Fix: Keep your whole foot down and sit the hips back slightly.
Knees caving in
Fix: Push your knees out over your toes on the way up.
Depth shrinking as you tire
Fix: Keep every rep to the same half depth, even near the end.
What the research says
Rehab & prehabGeneral fitnessEndurance
- Depth — A 10-week trial found half and full squats grew the quadriceps by a similar amount, but only full squats grew the glutes and inner thighs.
- Range-specific strength — The same trial found strength in the half squat improved similarly with both depths, while strength in the full squat improved more with full-depth training.
- Range of motion — A systematic review found full range of motion gave a leg-muscle growth advantage over partial range.
- Reps — Research on the repetition continuum finds muscular endurance favours lighter loads and higher reps. Hybrid Calisthenics sets a standard of 2 sets of 50.
Log the half squat in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.