Half Squat Side Reach

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
2. Engage your core and keep your chest upright with your arms relaxed at your sides.
3. Distribute your weight evenly across the mid-foot and heels.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you lower into a half squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees to approximately a 45-degree angle.
2. Exhale as you drive through your heels to stand up, simultaneously reaching one arm diagonally across your body and toward the ceiling.
3. Pivot on the ball of the opposite foot, rotating your hips and torso toward the direction of the reach.
4. Return to the starting position with control and repeat the movement on the opposite side, alternating for each repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your knees tracked over your toes during the squat phase.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid rounding your shoulders as you reach.
• Ensure the pivot on the back foot is fluid to protect the knee joint.
• Keep your core braced throughout the entire rotation to stabilize the spine.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'lengthening' the side of your body during the reach to maximize oblique and serratus activation.
• Squeeze the glute of the pivoting leg at the peak of the reach to enhance hip stability and power.
• Maintain a rhythmic tempo to turn this into an effective dynamic warm-up for the entire posterior chain.

Make it harder

• Transition from a half squat to a full squat (thighs parallel to the floor) to increase quadriceps and glute demand.
• Hold a light dumbbell or medicine ball in both hands to add resistance to the rotational reach.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the half squat side reach work?

The half squat side reach primarily targets the calves, glutes, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors and hamstrings as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the half squat side reach?

The half squat side reach requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the half squat side reach good for beginners?

The half squat side reach is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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