If you could only do one exercise for the rest of your life, it should be a squat! Squats are the most effective way to quickly strengthen and tone the muscles in your lower body that help to you power through athletics and daily tasks, such as walking or climbing stairs.
A standard bodyweight squat is a great way to target your:
Quadriceps
Glutes
Hamstrings
Core
Incorporating weights or jumps are simple variations that challenge additional muscle groups too!
Squats may seem simple, but it's extremely easy to do them incorrectly. Having a weak form can quickly lead to strain or injury. Keep reading to learn tips that will help you avoid and correct common squatting mistakes!
Jumping is a great way to find your natural squat stance quickly. As you jump, your body will naturally adjust to find a position that offers the most stability and power. So let's hop to it!
1. Start by standing with your feet together.
2. Jump in place several times.
3. Stop jumping once you find a natural stance that you can comfortably squat in.
When in doubt, dance it out! If your squat stance isn't feeling quite right, try the feet swing method for a fun way to get your feet to the perfect squat position.
1. Start by standing with your feet together.
2. Keeping your heels in place, swing your toes outwards.
3. Shift the weight into your toes, and swing your heels outwards.
4. Straighten your feet so that they are facing forward.
When you're squatting, don't let your knees fall in towards each other. This position puts additional stress and damage on your knees. To fix this, try using a resistance band to correct your alignment and strengthen the correct muscles.
Cat cows are great for yoga but not so great when you're squatting. Over-arching or rounding your back puts strain on your spine and lower back. To fix this, squat in front of a mirror to examine your form and adjust your form so that your back is in a neutral position.
Shifting your weight too far forward stresses your knees and lower back, making the squat more difficult to complete. To fix this, try widening your stance as you focus on flaring your toes to help keep your feet flat on the floor.
If you don't warm up first, you risk hurting yourself and are less likely to access your full range of motion. Before squatting, take a few minutes to stretch out your hips and glutes! Our trainers recommend these stretches to target your glutes and improve your hip mobility!
Ready to add squatting to your fitness routine? Start by doing bodyweight squats several times a week. A beginner should try to do 12-15 squats at a time, around three times a week.
If you're incorporating squats as an exercise to tone your body or improve your overall fitness level, then try to include weights that are comfortable but also challenging for sets of 10. Be sure to alternate cardio exercises with strength training and weight lifting to make a fitness plan that is comprehensive and effective.
If you're not sure where to start creating your fitness plan, work with one of our personal trainers! They can give you tips and create a program that is designed specifically for you.
Squats are a great and effective exercise to improve leg and overall strength. They are simple to do and add to your workout routine because they don't require any equipment, but you can easily add weights if you want to use them to get stronger or want more of a challenge in your standard workout.
Although squats are easy to do, they can be done incorrectly as easily. Knowing how to find and correct your squat form is essential to avoid injury and strain.