Bodyweight Squat

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Arms can be extended forward or crossed over your chest.

2. 2

   Descend by sitting your hips back and down, keeping your chest up and your weight over your mid-foot.

3. 3

   Go as deep as your mobility allows — ideally hip crease below knee level.

4. 4

   Stand back up by pressing through your whole foot and extending your hips and knees together.

Common Mistakes

• Letting your knees cave inward (valgus collapse). Cue yourself to push your knees out over your toes.

• Rising hips-first out of the hole ("good morning squat"), which shifts load onto your lower back. Lead with your chest.

• Cutting depth short. If you cannot hit parallel, reduce the weight or work on ankle and hip mobility.

Pro Tips

• Before each rep, take a deep breath into your belly (not your chest), brace your core like someone is about to punch you in the stomach, and hold that brace throughout the rep.

• Cue: "Spread the floor apart" with your feet. This externally rotates your femurs, activates your glutes, and keeps your knees tracking correctly.

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