Weighted Sissy Squat
An expert compound movement that trains the quadriceps with a barbell.
Force Type
Push
direction of effort
Difficulty
Expert
training level
Variations
4
equipment swaps
Muscles
4
primary + secondary
The verdict
Weighted Sissy Squat has 4-step instructions, more thoroughly documented than most of the 148 quadriceps exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 148 quadriceps exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Catalog lens
Two ways this record sits in the source corpus
These are placement measures for the documented record, not a score for exercise quality, safety, or suitability.
Instruction steps
#601 of 868
Lighter documentation than most
Numbered source steps, ranked across every documented exercise.
Instruction text
#368 of 868
Typical documentation depth
A separate character-length placement prevents step count from standing in for explanatory detail.
Weighted Sissy Squat vs every catalogued exercise by instruction-text length
Where this record's instruction-character count sits among all 873 Free Exercise DB exercises with instructions, not a rating of the movement itself.
666 368th of 873 higher than 505 of 873 exercises
All exercises, banded by instruction-text character count
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more exercises. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source Free Exercise DB · 2026-07-10
Weighted Sissy Squat is documented from the Free Exercise DB (CC0) extract, last ingested July 2026. Classification, muscle roles and instruction text are source facts; the placement and cohort measures on this page are computed by PlainExercise and are not a rating of the movement.
What the Weighted Sissy Squat Data Reveals · DOC · PUSH/COMPOUND
Weighted Sissy Squat stands out on force direction, the first filter on this record.
A mid-length step list is enough detail to compare form without the longest upstream essays.
Across 148 catalogued quadriceps movements, the average instruction record is 745 characters and 3.9 steps; 86 of those (58.1%) clear the same ≥500-character rich bar used here. This page ranks #63 of 148 by instruction-character length (89.4% of the cohort average).
Among the 170 exercises that also use a barbell, average instruction length is 896 characters; 112 of those peers are longer than this record. Equipment-matched peers are the honest comparison when you are choosing a substitute implement for the same pattern.
Other well-documented quadriceps movements (same ≥500-character bar):
- Speed Squats (6 steps, 1,961 chars)
- Zercher Squats (6 steps, 1,918 chars)
- Front Barbell Squat (6 steps, 1,893 chars)
- Narrow Stance Squats (6 steps, 1,854 chars)
- Barbell Squat To A Bench (8 steps, 1,848 chars)
Context matters: taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, musculature, equipment) does not account for individual biomechanics, joint history, or recovery. Common-mistake framing below is derived from classification fields, not case-specific coaching. Not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting, especially with injuries, cardiovascular conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy.
Weighted Sissy Squat catalog footprint
Among 148 exercises whose primary muscle is quadriceps, Weighted Sissy Squat ranks #1 by catalogued variation count. The upstream file attaches 2 images to this slug. See the step-count ranking for quadriceps for peer documentation depth.
Muscles worked
The Free Exercise DB classifies each muscle as primary or secondary. It does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Weighted Sissy Squat does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- Standing upright, with feet at shoulder width and toes raised, use one hand to hold onto the beams of a squat rack and the opposite arm to hold a plate on top of your chest. This is your starting position.
- As you use one arm to hold yourself, bend at the knees and slowly lower your torso toward the ground by bringing your pelvis and knees forward. Inhale as you go down and stop when your upper and lower legs almost create a 90-degree angle. Hold the stretch position for a second.
- After your one second hold, use your thigh muscles to bring your torso back up to the starting position. Exhale as you move up.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of times.
Common mistakes
- Letting tempo drift under heavy load - even at advanced weights, a controlled Weighted Sissy Squat rep (2-3s down, 1-2s up) still outperforms a rushed one for muscle tension and joint safety.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the quadriceps through its full safe range on Weighted Sissy Squat is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Treating a compound lift like an isolation movement - Weighted Sissy Squat recruits multiple joints; bracing the core and engaging stabilizers matters as much as the prime movers.
- Flaring elbows excessively on push movements, tucked elbows protect the shoulder joint and transfer more force into the target muscles.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift on Weighted Sissy Squat - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with a barbell where control matters most.
Who this is for
- Experienced trainees who can load the movement safely and have mastered the progression ladder below
- People who want to train the Quadriceps and secondarily calves, glutes
- People who have access to a barbell
Who this is NOT for
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- Complete beginners, start with the progression ladder below and build the pattern before loading it
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
At this stage, progress comes from refining technique, reducing rest between sets, and periodizing intensity across training cycles rather than chasing heavier loads.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes · BARBELL · PUSH/COMPOUND · CEILING
- Expert PUSH compound pattern: prep the loaded joints specifically for Weighted Sissy Squat, not only general cardio, before working weight.
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Discontinue any set that compromises joint position under load.
- At DOC documentation depth (666 chars), progress load only after the 4-step sequence stays clean at the prior weight.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Variations
Alternate versions of this movement with different equipment.
Curated workout appearances
Weighted Sissy Squat is not currently featured in one of the 186 curated workout routines on this site.
Nationwide exercises with similar documentation depth
Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Weighted Sissy Squat, drawn across all muscles (not the quadriceps-only related list below). Each metric produces a different neighborhood.
Similar instruction step count
Nearest catalog records by numbered steps.
Similar instruction text length
Nearest catalog records by upstream instruction characters.
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Quadriceps.
See all Quadriceps exercises.
Using the weighted sissy squat
Three ways to put it to work.
- Train the quadriceps 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other quadriceps movements for balanced development. All quadriceps exercises
- No barbell? The documented variations swap the implement without changing the movement pattern. See variations
- As a compound lift, this trains several muscles at once, anchor your session around it before isolation work. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.