The B stance squat allows you to train unilaterally without impacting balance.
The squat is a foundational compound exercise that effectively engages various leg muscles, including the glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves. Additionally, squats provide benefits for your abs and core. You can also involve your chest, arms, back, and shoulders if you perform overhead or back squats. Another variation worth mentioning is the B stance squat, which focuses on unilateral movement.
When setting up your training program, it’s essential to use both bilateral and unilateral exercises to ensure all-round fitness. In some instances, research shows that single-leg exercises can be the better alternative and offer more benefits (1). For routines like the squat, people often go for Bulgarian split squats, single-leg squats, or pistol squats as unilateral variations.
However, only some have the balance required for these routines. Trying to stay stable while doing a single leg training distracts you from good form and could lead to injuries. B stance, aka staggered stance, movements solve this problem and allow you to benefit from unilateral training without compromising balance.
You can use the B stance for front squats or back squats. This exercise guide looks at how to use the B stance for back squats and all its benefits. We also share other B stance exercises you can add to your training program for fast results.
Techniques & Muscles Worked
The B stance squat is a compound exercise that significantly benefits hypertrophy and strength in your posterior chain muscles, targeting the glutes, hamstrings, calves, quads, and core muscles. Many consider the B stance squat the best unilateral variation of the squat.
You can use a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells for this exercise, but in this guide, we’ll be working with a barbell. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do the B stance squat with a barbell.
- Step to the barbell on a squat rack, and transfer it to the back of your shoulders using a comfortable grip width. Keep your elbows pulled down and in.
- Next, step away to a comfortable space and position your legs with one foot just behind the other. Your feet should be shoulder-width distance apart.
- The ball of your back foot should be just behind your front leg. This is your starting position.
- Engage your core and hinge at your hips to squat while keeping your back straight.
- Keeping the bulk of the weight on your front foot, drive it into the floor to stand back up and return to your starting position to complete the rep.
- Repeat for as many reps as you desire.
- Swap legs and repeat steps 1-6.
Benefits
This exercise helps to channel the benefits you get from squats one leg at a time. They’re also great for balance and stability. Below are more benefits of this exercise.
Build Your Posterior Chain
Regular back squats are one of the best exercises that you can do for your posterior chain muscles. This exercise adds the increased focus and conditioning of unilateral training to those benefits. As a result, you’ll get explosive growth in your posterior chain muscles from this exercise.
Squat Deeper
The B stance allows you to do a deeper squat, especially for those with low ankle mobility. Squatting deeper increases your range of motion and causes your muscles to spend more time under tension. Studies link more time under tension to more muscle growth (2).
Carryover to Squats
Unilaterally squatting helps you to focus and increase your mind-muscle connection when squatting. This leads to better squatting form in your other squats. It also builds the muscles you use for squatting, which automatically improves your form, too.
Fix Muscle Imbalances
Doing exercises one leg at a time will often show you which side of your body is stronger than the other. You can then use this knowledge to train your body better by focusing more on your non-dominant side.
Flexibility & Stability
Single leg exercises train your flexibility and stability. This movement is included, and work on your stability by strengthening the muscles in each leg. Due to the deeper range of motion for the squat, it can also improve your flexibility.
Carryover to Athletic Performance
For most sports and athletic performances, there’s a need to transfer weight from one leg to another. Regular squats and deadlifts, while significant, don’t offer this practicability. B stance squats use the same loading pattern and don’t have the balance constraints that single-leg exercises carry.
B Stance Squat Alternatives
This exercise is a great way to train your muscles, like back squats, while enjoying the benefits that unilateral training offers. Plus, with them, you won’t get the balance problems that single-leg exercises pose. Below are some other variations of exercise.
B Stance Deadlift
The B stance deadlift is the bridge between the regular and single-leg deadlift. It’s excellent for your posterior chain muscles and stabilizes the hip and trunk. B stance deadlifts also help to find and fix muscle imbalances.
B Stance Hip Thrust
The B stance hip thrust requires even less balance and is excellent for your hamstrings and glutes. It’s a great B stance alternative for beginners to perfect their stance and form.
B Stance Lunges
B stance lunges require more stability than regular lunges but are also great for your legs. This exercise targets your quads, glutes, hamstring, and calves.
FAQs
What are B stance squats good for?
B stance squats are great for your posterior chain muscles. They also help to improve your flexibility and stability.
What muscles do the B stance work?
B stance exercises majorly focus on your leg muscles but can also work on the muscles in your core. It depends on the B stance routine that you choose.
How do you do B squats?
To do B stance squats, you assume the B stance with the barbell on your shoulders and then squat. For a step-by-step breakdown, check the guide above.
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References
- DeFOREST, B. A., Cantrell, G. S., & Schilling, B. K. (2014). Muscle Activity in Single- vs. Double-Leg Squats. International journal of exercise science, 7(4), 302–310.
- Burd, N. A., Andrews, R. J., West, D. W., Little, J. P., Cochran, A. J., Hector, A. J., Cashaback, J. G., Gibala, M. J., Potvin, J. R., Baker, S. K., & Phillips, S. M. (2012). Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. The Journal of physiology, 590(2), 351–362. https://doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200
