Heel-Elevated Squat: how to do it right
In short: Heel-elevated squat, a multi-joint exercise that targets the quads in a deep stretch position.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Place your heels on a 2 to 4 cm wedge, feet hip-width apart, toes turned out slightly.
- 2Brace your trunk, chest up, eyes ahead, keep your torso as upright as possible.
- 3Go down pushing your knees forward over your toes, to the maximum comfortable flexion.
- 4Go for the full range, thighs below parallel if your mobility allows.
- 5Brake the descent over 2 to 3 seconds, with no bounce at the bottom.
- 6Come back up by pushing the floor away, controlled extension without locking your knees out sharply.
The mistake to avoid
Don't push your hips back, let your knees travel over your toes.
Other common mistakes
- Bouncing at the bottom to restart: you lose all the stretch tension, go down slowly and hold a controlled pause.
- Cutting the range out of fear or because the weight is too heavy: lighten up and go lower to really load the quads.
- Lifting the heels or tipping onto the front of the foot: keep the weight spread, the wedge should stabilize, not unbalance.
- Violently locking out the knees at the top: stay soft at the end of the ascent to protect the joints.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Quads
- Supporting:
- Glutes
Quadriceps (vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, rectus femoris) as the prime movers of knee extension. The glutes assist hip extension, the adductors and soleus stabilize. Raising the heels reduces lower back involvement and targets the vasti more.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
- Hack Squat Machine ›
- Dumbbell Lateral Lunge ›
- Dumbbell Forward Lunges ›
- Kettlebell Goblet Walking Lunge ›
- Dumbbell Goblet Squat ›
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Heels on a 2 to 4 cm wedge, feet hip-width apart, toes turned out slightly. Brace your trunk, chest up, torso as upright as possible. Go down pushing your knees forward over your toes, to the maximum comfortable flexion, then come back up by pushing the floor away without locking out sharply.
How far down should I go?
Go down as low as you control, thighs below parallel if your mobility allows. Max tension is at the bottom, when your quads are the most lengthened, that's where mass is gained. The wedge lets you go deeper with an upright torso. Go for that low range, but without squirming or lifting your heels.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
You should feel your quads, especially in the bottom of the movement. Lighten up, go down as if setting down a fragile object and pause half a second in the stretched position before coming up. Also check that your knees travel forward over your toes, that's what loads the vasti.
How fast should I do the movement?
Brake the descent over 2 to 3 seconds, hold half a second at the bottom with no bounce, then come back up firmly but under control. It's the braking in the stretched position that does the work, not the speed on the way back.
How should I breathe?
Breathe in and hold your breath before going down, it creates an abdominal pressure that braces your spine. Keep that bracing through the whole descent and the low point, then breathe out on the way up once past the hardest part.