Squats are one of the most effective and functional movements you can do to improve your fitness. Heck, you can even get a massive benefit for your everyday life, too.
Whether it's squatting down to pick up a box or just getting up from the couch, we squat all the time.
It makes you think ... "Wow, squats are pretty important!" They are ... and that's exactly what I want to talk about today.
If you need help with your squat form, you've come to the right place.
In this article, I'm going to cover how to do a squat properly and the benefits of squatting regularly.
That way, you'll walk away with all the knowledge you need to squat, do it well, and reap the reward!
What Are The Benefits of Squatting?
Squats are great for more reasons than meets the eye. For one, they work some of the largest muscles in your body. These are muscles in your lower body, like your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.
Activating these large muscle groups can be great for building muscle and burning a ton of calories!
On top of that, squats are also great for strengthening your core and obliques ... No crunches required! In fact, your entire core is utilized during squats to keep your spine stable during the movement. This can also improve your posture over time!
Want to jump higher or be more explosive? You guessed it ... Squats can help there too. This is because the movement patterns of a squat closely resemble the mechanics of starting a sprint, breaking, and jumping.
If you thought the benefits ended there ... you're wrong. Squats can also help prevent weak joints and decrease your risk of injury by improving your flexibility.
Pretty essential? I think so. Now let’s break down proper squat form so you can squat safely and get the most out of every rep. That way, you'll feel confident the next time you're ready to go low at the gym!
How to Do a Basic Squat
Your squat form is everything. We have to make sure we get this started off the right way. Let's walk through it, step by step.
1. Set Up Your Equipment
Before you begin, make sure you locate a squat rack and a barbell. Load the bar with a weight you're comfortable with and rack the bar at chest height.
2. Get Your Feet in Position
Stand with your feet parallel to each other and shoulder-width apart. Your toes should be turned out slightly, and you should have a slight bend in your knees.
3. Grip The Bar & Get Under It
Reach out to grab the bar slightly outside of shoulder-width apart. Now, step underneath the bar and rest it on top of your traps or upper back.
4. Step Back & Reposition Your Feet
Extend your knees to straighten out your legs and stand with the barbell on your back. Take a couple of steps back and reposition your feet. Remember, they should be roughly shoulder-width apart with your toes rotated slightly outward.
5. Engage Your Core
Make sure to keep your chest tall, core braced, and back straight throughout the entire movement ... This will help prevent injury and properly engage the right muscles.
6. Begin The Descent
Before you start, take a deep breath in. Now, start your squat by hinging at your hips and bending your knees to descend. Keep descending slowly into the squat until you can't go any lower.
7. Hit Good Depth
A good depth to shoot for is getting your thighs to be parallel with the floor. If you can go even lower, that's great!
8. Drive Back Upward
Squeeze your glutes and drive through your feet to stand. When you reach the top, exhale before repeating again.
That's all there is to it! Really, there are only a few big takeaways here...
Why Proper Squat Form is Important
If you want real results from your training, your squat form has to be dialed in.
Using your full range of motion helps you build more muscle and strength than just going halfway. Good form means you can lift heavier over time and actually track your progress.
It also protects your joints and keeps you in the game longer, without unnecessary aches or injuries. Mastering proper squat form isn’t just about doing it right; it’s about getting the most out of every rep.
General Tips For a Safe & Effective Squat
Here are some things you should always remember when you go to squat...
1. Always Keep Your Head, Neck, and Spine in a Neutral Position
The more you squat, and the more weight you add ... the more crucial it will be to maintain a neutral back.
Supporting a lot of weight from a barbell sitting on your back can be very taxing on your spine. That's why it's super important to make sure your core is braced and you're conscious of your spinal alignment.
If the weight feels heavy and your back starts to round or arch ... lower the weight! It's always better to focus on perfecting your form before adding more weight.
2. Drive Through Your Entire Foot
This is one of the most common mistakes I see with squats. Make sure you are always distributing your weight evenly between the heel and ball of your feet.
A good way to track this is by making sure that neither your heels, arches, or toes come off the floor. Pretend like your feet are super glued to the ground ... That’s a great way to visualize it. Plus, it's kinda fun too.
Beginners are notorious for their heels lifting off the ground. This weakens the entire movement and shows a lack of ankle mobility or calf flexibility.
If your weight is shifted too far forward as well, that can cause the heels to lift. The solution: Drive through the heels as you squat down and increase the pressure.
Just know if your weight is distributed unevenly ... Your body will compensate. Oftentimes, it compensates in a way that can affect your squat form negatively and even lead to postural imbalances.
So keep your eyes peeled for this mistake!
3. Get Your Breathing Down
It's super important that you're breathing properly during a squat. If you mess it up ... the consequence could be passing out!
Make sure you're taking a deep inhalation before you descend into your squat. While you're descending, hold your breath until you explode back upward.
At this point, you can exhale while standing or as you reach the top of the squat.
Keeping this rhythm will ensure you're getting plenty of oxygen to fuel your squats and also help with bracing your core.
4. If you're Going Heavy ... Get a Spotter!
Trying a new weight out on the squat bar? Grab a partner!
There's nothing worse than hurting yourself because the weight was too heavy to lift.
Trust me when I say, you don't want to be caught in a squat that you can't get out of. Always ask for a spotter to help move the weight if you can't do it alone.
Squat Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basics, adding squat variations to your training can help you target specific muscle groups and keep progressing. Here are four of the most effective variations to include in your leg-day rotation:
1. Goblet Squat
Perfect for beginners or anyone refining form. Goblet squats involve holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest height. It encourages an upright torso, challenges the core, and builds strength through a full range of motion.
2. Front Squat
By placing the barbell across the front of your shoulders, front squats shift the emphasis to your quads and core. This variation demands an upright posture, core bracing, and attention to proper barbell squat form. It's great for improving squat mechanics.
3. Bulgarian Split Squat
This single-leg movement hits the quads and glutes hard while improving balance and stability. Elevating the back foot forces the front leg to do the majority of the work, helping correct imbalances and improve athletic performance.
4. Zercher Squat
Held in the crook of your elbows, the Zercher squat challenges your core, upper back, and quads. It’s a tough variation that can help build some serious strength.
Squat-Focused Workout Routines
Now that you’ve locked in your proper squat form and explored a few variations, it’s time to put that knowledge to work. Whether you’re training for strength, muscle growth, or endurance, squats can be a powerful part of your routine. Here are a few workouts to get you started based on your fitness level.
Beginner Squat-Focused Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Goblet Squats | 4 | 8–10 |
| Glute Bridges | 4 | 10–12 |
| Walking Lunges | 4 | 8 (Each Leg) |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 4 | 8–10 |
Intermediate Squat-Focused Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squats | 5 | 6–8 |
| Romanian Deadlifts | 4 | 8–10 |
| Walking Lunges | 4 | 8 (Each Leg) |
| Bulgarian Split Squats | 3 | 8 (Each Leg) |
| Calf Raises | 2 | 12–15 |
Advanced Squat-Focused Workout
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Barbell Back Squats | 5 | 5 |
| Sumo Deadlifts | 4 | 6–8 |
| Bulgarian Split Squats | 4 | 8 (Each Leg) |
| Hip Thrusts | 4 | 8–10 |
| Jump Squats | 2 | 6–8 |
| Single Leg Calf Raises | 1 | 10 (Each Leg) |
Workout Routine: Time to Squat!
I hope by now you're feeling pretty confident in what you need to do to have proper squat form.
One last tip I wanted to leave you with is this: If you're in the gym and you need help ... ask!
Just make sure they know what they're talking about. Your gym may even have a few trainers who wouldn't mind giving you some pointers.
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