Sissy Squat

A quad-dominant isolation exercise. It places high tension on the quadriceps by shifting the center of mass backward while maintaining a straight line from knees to head.

Exercise Details

Level: Intermediate
Body Area: lower
Type: squat
Mechanics: Compound

Required Equipment

Bodyweight-only

Target Muscle Groups

Primary

Quads

Secondary

Glutes

Setup

Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold onto a support if needed. Engage your glutes and core to lock your hips.

Instructions

1. Lean your torso backward while simultaneously bending your knees and pushing them forward.
2. Stay on the balls of your feet.
3. Lower until you feel an intense stretch in the quads.
4. Pull yourself back up using only your quadriceps.
5. Maintain a neutral spine.

Common Mistakes

1. Hinging at the hips.
2. Arching the back.
3. Losing core tension.

Alternative Exercises

Walking Lunge

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Quads / lunge

A dynamic lower-body compound exercise. It builds functional strength, balance, and coordination while targeting the quads and glutes.

Sumo Squat

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Glutes / squat

A wide-stance squat variation. It shifts the emphasis to the adductors and glutes while improving hip mobility.

Static Lunge Kick

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Glutes / lunge

Combines lower-body strength with explosive power and balance. It targets the quads and glutes while challenging the core.

Squat On Bosu Ball

Intermediate / BOSU Balance Trainer / Quads / squat

An advanced lower-body exercise that combines a standard squat with extreme instability to recruit deep stabilizer muscles and improve balance.

Squat Mobility Complex

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Quads / squat

A series of movements within a squat position to open the hips, ankles, and thoracic spine. It improves overall movement quality and warm-up readiness.

Squat

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Quads / squat

The fundamental lower-body compound exercise. It targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings while building core stability and overall functional strength.

Split Squats

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Quads / squat

A foundational unilateral exercise. It targets the quads and glutes while improving balance and hip stability without the complexity of a lunge.

Split Sprinter Low Lunge

Beginner / Bodyweight-only / Quads / lunge

A deeper variation of the sprinter lunge. It places more demand on the glutes and improves the range of motion in the hips.

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