ProgreviaCyclist squat: proper form, muscles worked and common mistakes
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How to do it
With the heels raised on a plate or wedge and the torso as upright as possible, squat deep letting the knees travel forward. Emphasis falls on the quads, especially the inner vastus medialis (VMO).
Muscles worked
Main muscle: quads. When it plans weekly volume, every set of this exercise counts in full for quads: the generator does not split it with other muscles.
Cyclist squat: heels up to send the knees forward
The goblet squat is done with flat feet, the dumbbell at your chest and the hips back, and it splits the work between quads and glutes. In the cyclist squat, raising the heels lets the knee travel farther without needing as much ankle bend, and the knee flexes more than in a normal goblet squat. The result is a demand more focused on the quadriceps, with a very upright torso. Because it's so demanding for the knee, loads will be moderate, and a light dumbbell is usually plenty to feel it.
Choose it if you want quad emphasis without a barbell, if your ankle mobility is limited (the wedge makes up for part of it), or if you train at home with little equipment. If your knee feels irritated in deep flexion, cut the depth or the load before pushing on. To progress, use a heavier dumbbell, add a one-second pause at the bottom, or stretch the lowering to three seconds.
Rest your heels on a firm, stable surface, such as a small plate or a wedge, with your feet shoulder-width or a little closer. Keep your weight spread so the heel doesn't come off the wedge, and go down at a pace you can control.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Squat
- Minimum level
- Beginner
- Technical demand
- Needs coaching
- Fatigue it generates
- High (1.3 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Medium
- Peak tension in the stretched position
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As a compound lift, it fits in 3–5 sets of 5–12 reps leaving 1–3 reps in reserve (RIR). Prioritize it at the start of the session, when you're fresh.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Letting the knees cave inward (valgus) when pushing, instead of keeping them tracking over the feet.
- Letting your dominant side do more of the work: each arm or leg completes the same range, at the same pace.
- Cutting short the part of the range where the muscle is stretched: that is exactly where this exercise gives the most stimulus.
What the research says
Because it is a multi-joint lift, the 2021 review of the repetition continuum by Schoenfeld and colleagues leaves room to choose: both heavy and moderate sets build muscle if they finish near failure, but maximal strength needs some heavy work.
Its peak tension comes with the muscle stretched, and that matters: in the trial by Maeo and colleagues (2021), seated leg curls, which stretch the hamstrings more, built more muscle than lying curls, and Pedrosa and colleagues (2022) saw something similar in the quads when training the long end of the range.
On how hard to push: the meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues (2023) found no clear advantage in going to failure over stopping just short of it. That is why the generator programs it with reps in reserve (RIR) instead of asking for failure on every set.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Van Every DW, Plotkin DL. Loading recommendations for muscle strength, hypertrophy, and local endurance: a re-examination of the repetition continuum. Sports. 2021;9(2):32.
- Maeo S, Huang M, Wu Y, et al. Greater hamstrings muscle hypertrophy but similar damage protection after training at long versus short muscle lengths. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2021;53(4):825-837.
- Pedrosa GF, Lima FV, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European Journal of Sport Science. 2022;22(8):1250-1260.
- Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ. Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53(3):649-665.
How Cyclist squat compares with other quads exercises
Of the 16 quads exercises in the catalogue, ranked from least to most fatiguing by the values the generator uses, Cyclist squat is number 9 (tied with one other).
It sits in the middle of its group: it works as the day's main exercise or as a second or third one.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 9 alternatives, such as Static lunge, Banded squat and Leg press.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Banded squat | resistance band | Moderate (1 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Leg press | machine | High (1.2 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Dumbbell lunges | dumbbells | High (1.2 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Box jump | bodyweight | High (1.3 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Cyclist squat | dumbbells | High (1.3 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Bulgarian split squat | dumbbells | High (1.4 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Hack squat | machine | High (1.5 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Sumo barbell squat | barbell | Very high (1.8 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
Tension with the muscle stretched. Cyclist squat loads the muscle when it is longest. In the review by Kassiano et al. (2023), across eleven studies, full range of motion and partials performed in the initial part of the movement — with the muscle long — produced more growth than partials performed at the end.
- Kassiano W, Costa B, Nunes JP, Ribeiro AS, Schoenfeld BJ, Cyrino ES. Which ROMs lead to Rome? A systematic review of the effects of range of motion on muscle hypertrophy. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2023;37(5):1135-1144.
Related guide
Best leg exercises for the gym and at home
Alternative exercises
More squat exercises
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does Cyclist squat work?
Cyclist squat mainly works the quads muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of Cyclist squat should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for quads to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
What is the point of raising the heels in a cyclist squat?
Raising the heels reduces the ankle bend you need to squat deep, so the knee can travel forward and your torso stays upright. That shift increases the demand on the quads. It also helps if your ankles limit you in a regular squat. Use a firm surface so you don't lose stability.
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