Research
Mixed
High-bar narrow stance squats increase knee extensor demand (greater knee contribution to total moment and higher vastus lateris activity) compared to low-bar wide stance squats.
If you want to prioritize your quads, use a high-bar narrow stance. If you want to prioritize your hips and glutes, switch to a low-bar wide stance. These technical changes directly shift the mechanical load to the target muscles.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
squatting with an HBNS resulted in greater knee contributions to the total moment together with higher vastus lateralis and less gluteus maximus myoelectric activity. Our findings suggest that training with an HBNS could be beneficial when targeting the knee extensors and plantar flexors
Why this rating
Controlled within-subjects design with 18 participants, rigorous biomechanical measurement (inverse dynamics, EMG), but small sample size.
Source
Effects of Stance Width and Barbell Placement on Kinematics, Kinetics, and Myoelectric Activity in Back Squats
Stian Larsen et al. · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · 2021
DOI 10.3389/fspor.2021.719013
crossover · n=18Cited 16×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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