Dowel-Assisted Chair Squat

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Content last reviewed: 2026-07-14

Dowel-Assisted Chair Squat — view 1 of 2

How to do it

Stand just in front of a stable chair with your feet about hip-width apart.
Hold a dowel along your spine so it touches the back of your head, upper back and tailbone.
Keeping those three contact points, push your hips back and bend your knees to lower toward the chair.
Lightly touch the seat without sitting or bouncing, then press through the whole foot to stand.

Form cues

Send the hips backward and hinge — don't drive the knees forward into the chair.
Keep the dowel in contact with the back of the head, upper back and tailbone throughout.
Descend only as far as you can keep balance and a neutral spine.

Dosage

3 × 10 reps

Muscles worked

gluteus maximus — anatomical illustration — gluteus maximusAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

quadriceps — anatomical illustration — quadricepsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

hamstrings — anatomical illustration — hamstringsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

hip adductors — anatomical illustration — hip adductorsAnatomical illustration derived from BodyParts3D, © The Database Center for Life Science, licensed under CC BY-SA.

Strengthens: gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings, hip adductors

Active SLR Contract-Relax 4-Square Bridge March Clamshells Quadruped Glute Kickback Eccentric Calf Raise