• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The BarBend Logo in white.

BarBend

The Online Home for Strength Sports

  • News
    • CrossFit
    • Strongman
    • Bodybuilding
    • Powerlifting
    • Weightlifting
    • HYROX
  • Reviews
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Mini-Massage Guns
    • Supplements
      • Best Protein
        • Best Vegan Protein Powders
        • Best Whey Isolate Protein Powders
        • Best Mass Gainer
        • Best Protein Bars
      • Best Pre-Workouts
        • Best Pre-Workout for Women
        • Best Pre-Workouts for Men
        • Best Non-Stim Pre-Workouts
        • Strongest Pre-Workouts
      • Best Creatine
      • Best Electrolyte Supplements
      • Best Greens Powder
      • Best Meal Replacements
      • Best Nitric Oxide Supplements
      • Best Fat Burners
      • Individual Supplement Reviews
    • Cardio Equipment
      • Best Treadmills
      • Best Rowing Machines
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Ellipticals
      • Best Recumbent Bikes
      • Individual Cardio Equipment Reviews
    • Strength Equipment
      • Best Adjustable Dumbbells
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weight Benches
      • Best Resistance Bands
      • Best Leg Extension Machines
      • Individual Strength Equipment Reviews
    • Apparel
      • Best Weightlifting Shoes
      • Best Cross Training Shoes
      • Best Running Shoes
      • Best Gym Shorts
    • Fitness Tech
      • Best Running Apps
      • Best Fitness Trackers
      • Best Workout Apps
      • Best Smart Scales
    • Support Gear
      • Best Lifting Straps
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Best Lifting Gloves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
  • Nutrition
    • Diets
      • Carb Cycling
      • Vertical Diet
      • Reverse Dieting
      • Carnivore Diet
      • Ketogenic Diet
      • Intermittent Fasting
      • IIFYM Diet
    • Muscle Gain
      • How to Dirty Bulk
      • Go From Cutting to Bulking
      • Eat These Carbs
      • How to Eat for Muscle
    • Fat Loss
      • Macros for Fat Loss
      • Calorie Deficits
      • Natural Fat Burners
      • Cut 2 Pounds Weekly
    • Supplement Guides
      • Pre-Workout
      • Whey Protein
      • Mass Gainers
      • Greens Powders
      • Creatine
      • BCAAs
    • Daily Protein Needs
    • Pre- and Post-Workout Nutrition
    • Foods With Creatine
    • Bulking Tips
  • Training
    • Exercise Guides
      • Deadlift
      • Bench Press
      • Back Squat
      • Overhead Press
      • Lat Pulldown
      • Shoulder Exercises
      • Chest Exercises
      • Ab Exercises
      • Quad Exercises
      • Biceps Exercises
    • Training Guides
      • Beginner’s Guide to the Gym
      • How to Build Muscle
      • Guide to Muscle Hypertrophy
      • How to Train on a Cut
    • Workouts
      • Back Workouts
      • At-Home Workouts
      • Chest & Back Workouts
      • Full-Body Workout
      • HIIT Workouts
      • Bodybuilding Workouts
      • Farmer’s Carry Workouts
    • Programs
      • 5×5 Program
      • Bodybuilding Programs
      • Push-Up Program
      • Pull-Up Program
      • 5/3/1 Program
      • Powerbuilding Program
      • German Volume Training
      • Build Your Own Program
  • Calculators
    • Protein Intake Calculator
    • Macros Calculator
    • BMR Calculator
    • Squat Calculator
    • Calorie Calculator
  • Community Forum
Home » Bodybuilding News » Exercise Scientist Dr. Mike Israetel Explains How To Squat For Quad Growth

Exercise Scientist Dr. Mike Israetel Explains How To Squat For Quad Growth

Dr. Mike Israetel shares 10 tips to maximize barbell back squat results.

Phil Blechman
Written by Phil Blechman
Last updated on August 20th, 2024

The squat is among the most technically complex exercises, with numerous variations emphasizing different training goals. On Aug. 15, 2024, Dr. Mike Israetel, Ph.D. in Sport Physiology, shared a comprehensive 10-step squat guide to maximize quad hypertrophy.

While numerous online resources teach proper squatting techniques, they often prioritize strength development rather than hypertrophy. Squatting for muscle growth requires a different approach than squatting for strength.

[Related: The 8 Worst Exercises for Strength, From the “Impractical” to the “Stupid”]

1. Overall Posture

Israetel advises maintaining a tall chest, retracted scapula, heels positioned shoulder-width apart, and toes pointing outward throughout the entire squat. For comfort, drive the knees outward during the descent. 

As soon as the bar hits your back, walk it out and set up. Until the last rep; all these things [should] be true at all times.

2. Hip Movement

Initiate the descent by pushing the hips back as you bend your knees. Neglecting hip flexion can cause the heels to lift off the floor, potentially hindering force generation.

3. Breathing and Bracing

Inhale and brace your core as you initiate the squat, ensuring the chest and ribs remain elevated, not depressed. Israetel advises against pushing the ribs down unless strength gains are the primary objective. 

4. Knee Travel

During the descent, allow the knees to travel as far over the toes as possible while keeping the heels on the ground. 

More knees go over toes, more quad hypertrophy…your quads are exposed and fully stretched at the bottom.

[Related: The Only 4 Leg Exercises You Need To Build Quads and Hamstrings]

Image via Shutterstock/chomplearn

[Related: Training in the Stretched Position for Muscle Growth: Experts Explain Why It Works]

5. Descent Speed

Employ controlled negatives, taking two to five seconds to lower to the bottom position. This approach eliminates momentum, increases time under tension, improves mind-muscle connection, and limits injury risk. (1) 

6. Breathing During Descent

Take short breaths throughout the descent through slow eccentrics for adequate oxygen intake and to prevent premature fatigue.

Do little pulse breaths to keep the oxygen coming and the carbon dioxide flowing out of your body.

[Related: Fight Dirty Against Fatigue, How Breathing Is the Key to Performance]

7. Bottom Position

To load the quads, maintain an upright torso as you reach the bottom of the squat. This can feel counterintuitive and challenging, so practice consistently. 

8 & 9. Pause at the Bottom & Concentric Movement

Implement a one to two-second pause at the bottom to eliminate the rebound effect during the amortization phase. “It slightly increases your safety and reduces injury risk,” adds Israetel. 

Quickly and athletically, push to the starting position, but avoid exerting maximum force.

10. Breathing During Ascent

Breathe out and breathe in at the top to reset and prepare for the next repetition. These techniques are not optimal for lifting as heavy as possible. However, they promote superior quad hypertrophy compared to techniques focused primarily on strength gains.

More Training Content

  • BarBend’s Guide to Gym Accessibility
  • The ONLY 2 Exercises for Abs You Need to Build a Six-Pack
  • Hypertrophy vs. Strength Training: Key Differences + How To Do Both
  • The Only Bulking Workout Plan You Need to Build Muscle ASAP

References

  1. Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, et al. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012;590(2):351-362. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200

Featured image via Shutterstock/chomplearn

Phil Blechman

About Phil Blechman

Phil is a native New Yorker passionate about storytelling, bodybuilding, and game design. He holds a BFA from Syracuse University.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Latest Reviews

Featured image for the Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review

Ironmaster Super Bench Pro V2 Review (2025): Our Expert’s New Favorite FID Bench

Titan T3 Power Rack Review

Titan T3 Power Rack Review (2025): An Expert-Approved Rig Beckoning to Budget-Minded Athletes

Our tester works out at the beach in preparation for the Rogue Resistance Bands Review

Rogue Resistance Bands Review (2025): Tested by a Certified Personal Trainer

Barbend tester Jake Herod works out on a Force USA Trainer

Force USA G3 Review (2025): Our Experts Tested This Compact All-In-One Rack for Small Home Gyms

BarBend

BarBend is an independent website. The views expressed on this site may come from individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the view of BarBend or any other organization. BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting.

  • About Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Sections

  • CrossFit
  • Strongman
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Weightlifting
  • Reviews
  • Nutrition
  • Training

More

  • BarBend Newsletter
  • BarBend Podcast
  • The Ripped Report
  • 1RM Calculator
  • BMR Calculator
  • Macros Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Squat Calculator

Policies

  • Accessibility
  • Advice Disclaimer
  • Cookies Policy
  • Disclaimers
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Copyright © 2025 · BarBend Inc · Sitemap