Bodyweight Squat On Slackline

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Mount the slackline with your feet placed shoulder-width apart, ensuring your weight is centered over the line.
2. Find a stationary focal point approximately 10-15 feet in front of you to help maintain balance.
3. Extend your arms out to the sides at shoulder height to act as counterweights.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly initiate the movement by hinging at the hips and bending the knees, lowering your center of gravity straight down.
2. Descend with a controlled 3-second tempo until your thighs are parallel to the line, or as low as your balance permits.
3. Exhale and drive through the mid-foot to return to a standing position, keeping your core braced to minimize line oscillation.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest upright and avoid excessive forward lean.
• Ensure your knees track directly over the line and do not cave inward.
• Maintain a neutral spine and keep your gaze fixed on your focal point.
• Use small, fluid arm movements for balance rather than sudden, jerky corrections.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'gripping' the line with the arches of your feet to engage the intrinsic muscles of the foot and improve ankle stability.
• Keep your weight distributed evenly between your heels and the balls of your feet to prevent the line from swinging laterally.

Make it harder

• Add a 3-second isometric hold at the bottom of the squat to maximize stabilizer recruitment.
• Perform the movement with your hands behind your head (Prisoner Squat) to remove the use of arms as counterweights.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the bodyweight squat on slackline work?

The bodyweight squat on slackline primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior and trapezius as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the bodyweight squat on slackline?

The bodyweight squat on slackline requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the bodyweight squat on slackline good for beginners?

The bodyweight squat on slackline is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps