How to Do Squats
The squat is a fundamental compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes while engaging your core and lower back muscles. Mastering proper squat technique is essential for building lower body strength, improving athletic performance, and enhancing everyday functional movement.
Benefits of Squats
- Builds strength in multiple muscle groups simultaneously
- Increases lower body power and explosiveness
- Improves core stability and balance
- Enhances mobility in hips, knees, and ankles
- Burns calories efficiently as a compound movement
- Promotes functional fitness for daily activities
Targeted Muscle Groups
- Primary muscles: Quadriceps, glutes (gluteus maximus), hamstrings
- Secondary muscles: Calves, lower back, core stabilizers
Proper Technique
Follow these steps to perform a perfect squat:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Position your feet slightly turned out (about 5-20 degrees). Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and maintain a neutral spine.
Brace your core. Take a deep breath and engage your core muscles to stabilize your spine throughout the movement.
Lower your hips. Bend your knees and push your hips back as if sitting in a chair. Keep your weight in your heels and midfoot, not your toes. Aim to lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as you can with proper form.
Maintain proper alignment. Throughout the movement, ensure your knees track in line with your toes and don't cave inward. Keep your chest up and your back straight.
Rise back up. Push through your heels and drive your hips forward to return to the starting position. Exhale as you rise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Knees caving inward: Keep your knees tracking over your toes throughout the movement.
- Rising onto your toes: Weight should remain in your heels and midfoot for stability and proper muscle engagement.
- Rounding your back: Maintain a neutral spine position to avoid lower back strain.
- Not going deep enough: Aim for at least parallel thighs to maximize muscle engagement (unless limited by mobility).
- Looking down: Keep your gaze forward to help maintain a neutral spine position.
Variations
- Goblet squats: Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell close to your chest for added resistance.
- Sumo squats: Take a wider stance with toes pointed outward to target inner thighs more.
- Split squats: Perform with one foot forward and one back to focus on single-leg strength.
- Jump squats: Add an explosive jump at the top of the movement for power development.
- Front squats: Hold weights at shoulder level to increase quad activation and core engagement.
Tips for Beginners
Master bodyweight squats before adding weight. Focus on quality movement patterns rather than depth or weight. If you have trouble with depth, try squatting to a box or bench initially. Start with 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions with proper form. Consider working with a trainer to assess and improve your mobility if needed.