Squat (Medicine Ball)

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Level

beginner

Force

push

Mechanic

compound

Equipment

Category

Primary Muscles

Secondary Muscles

glutes hamstrings lower back

A basic squat variation performed while holding a medicine ball at chest height for added resistance.

Instructions

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medicine ball at chest height.
Keep your chest up and core engaged as you lower your body.
Bend at the hips and knees simultaneously, descending until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Keep your weight centered on your heels and knees tracking over your toes.
Drive through your heels to return to the starting position.
Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Tips

The medicine ball at chest height helps counterbalance and engages your core.
Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
Keep your chest up and elbows slightly in front of your body.
Go as deep as your mobility allows while maintaining good form.
Increase the weight of the medicine ball as strength improves.

Recommended starting values

Sensible novice starting points for each goal, for a lifter aged 25–40. Scale down for smaller frames or older lifters. Treat the first set of any session as a discovery set.

Goal	Sets	Reps	Weight
Goal	Sets	Reps	Male	Female
Gain strength	3	7 reps	4 kg	3 kg
Build muscle	3	10 reps	4 kg	3 kg
Build endurance	3	14 reps	3 kg	2 kg

Alternatives

Exercises that target the same muscles with the same force and mechanic.

Belt Squat (Machine)

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Bodyweight Squat

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Bodyweight Walking Lunge

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Bulgarian Split Squat (Smith Machine)

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Chair Squat

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Diagonal Lunge

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Double Kettlebell Front Squat

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Double Kettlebell Lunge

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Double Kettlebell Reverse Lunge

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Double Kettlebell Squat

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Double Kettlebell Walking Lunge

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Elevated Back Lunge

intermediate strength

Front Barbell Squat

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Front Barbell Squat To A Bench

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Front Foot Elevated Split Squat (Trap Bar)

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Front Squat (Band)

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Front Squat (Cable)

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Front Squat (Clean Grip)

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Front Squat (Smith Machine)

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Front Squat Pause (Barbell)

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Front Squats

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Front Squats With Two Kettlebells

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Full Squat (Barbell)

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Goblet Squat

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Goblet Squat (Cable)

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Goblet Squat (Dumbbell)

intermediate strength

Hack Squat

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Hack Squat (Barbell)

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Hack Squat (Smith Machine)

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High Bar Squat (Barbell)

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Jefferson Squats

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Landmine Front Squat (Barbell)

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Landmine Hack Squat (Barbell)

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Lateral Lunge (Band)

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Leg Press (Smith Machine)

intermediate strength

Leg Presses (Narrow)

intermediate strength

Lunge (Band)

beginner strength

Lunge (Barbell)

intermediate strength

Lunge (Smith Machine)

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Lunge Sprint

intermediate strength

Lunges (Dumbbell)

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Narrow Squat

intermediate strength

Narrow Stance Hack Squats

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Narrow Stance Leg Press

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Narrow Stance Squats

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One Leg Barbell Squat

expert strength

One-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats

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Overhead Squat Bodyweight

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Pendulum Squat

beginner strength

Pistol Squat (Smith Machine)

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Rear Lunge (Dumbbell)

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Reverse Lunge (Band)

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Reverse Lunge (Smith Machine)

beginner strength

Single Leg Hack Squat

intermediate strength

Single Leg Press

beginner strength

Single Leg Squat (Medicine Ball)

expert strength

Smith Single-Leg Split Squat

beginner strength

Speed Squats

expert strength

Split Squat

beginner strength

Split Squat (Medicine Ball)

intermediate strength

Split Squat with Dumbbells

beginner strength

Squat (Band)

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Squat (Barbell)

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Squat (Dumbbell)

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Squat (Machine)

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Squat (Smith Machine)

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Squat (Trap Bar)

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Squat To A Bench (Barbell)

expert strength

Squat To A Bench (Dumbbell)

intermediate strength

Squat to Press (Band)

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Squat with Plate Movers

intermediate strength

Squats - With Bands

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Step Up (Band)

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Step Up (Medicine Ball)

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Step Ups (Barbell)

intermediate strength

Step Ups (Dumbbell)

intermediate strength

Sumo Deadlift (Smith Machine)

beginner strength

Sumo Squat (Band)

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Sumo Squat (Smith Machine)

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Sumo Squat with Hip Abduction (Band)

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Suspended Split Squat

intermediate strength

V-Squat

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Walking Lunge (Barbell)

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Walking Lunge (Smith Machine)

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Wall Sit (Dumbbell)

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Weighted Sissy Squat

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Weighted Squat

intermediate strength

Wide Squat

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Wide Stance Barbell Squat

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Wide Stance Hack Squat

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Wide Stance Leg Press

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Zercher Squats

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