Learn more about Squats

Squats

Squats are one of the most fundamental exercises in strength training—whether you’re an athlete training for a sport, someone looking to maintain or improve overall strength, or an older adult aiming to stay independent. Squats help improve both strength and mobility, and they’re highly functional in nature. This compound movement works multiple muscle groups, including the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core, making it a highly effective full-body exercise. But proper form is key—not only to prevent injury but also to get the most out of each rep.

Benefits of Squats

Squats are a powerhouse exercise that can transform your fitness routine and engagement in functional activities. Some key benefits include:

• Strengthening key muscles: Squats target multiple muscle groups including your glutes, quads, hamstrings, core, and even your calves.
• Improving functional fitness: Squats mimic movements you perform every day, such as sitting down and standing up. This makes them functional, improving your ability to perform daily tasks. Hence why squats are for individuals of all ages. 
• Boosting athletic performance: Strong legs and hips improve your power, speed, and explosiveness in sports and physical activities.
• Promoting joint health: When done with proper form, squats can help maintain or improve flexibility and range of motion in the hips, knees, and ankles.
• Supporting fat loss and metabolism: Squats are a compound movement, which means they burn a lot of calories and increase your metabolic rate, helping you build lean muscle mass.

Finding Your Best Squat Stance

Your squat stance will depend on your body type and flexibility. Start with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Toes can point straight forward or angle out slightly (around 10–30 degrees), depending on what feels most comfortable for you. If you experience hip pain while squatting, adjusting your stance can often improve your tolerance. If the pain is located in the front of your hips, try narrowing your stance or bringing your toes into a more neutral position. If the pain is more on the outer hips, increasing your stance width or toe angle may help. The key is to find the squat stance that feels best for you.

How to Squats 

Once you’re in the correct stance, it’s time to initiate the squat by bending at the knees and dropping your hips straight down between your feet. Your feet should stay flat on the ground—avoid shifting your weight back into your heels. Think about pressing your big toes into the floor to create a solid, stable base for your squat. Keep your chest tall and your back in a neutral position. Depending on your body proportions (anthropometrics), you may need to lean forward more than others, and that’s completely normal. As you lower into the squat, make sure your knees are tracking in line with your toes—not caving inward or flaring too far out. It’s okay for your knees to move past your toes; in fact, it’s often necessary to achieve full range of motion. Full depth means lowering as far as you can without rounding your spine or letting your heels lift off the ground. Once you reach the bottom of your squat, push through your entire foot and squeeze your glutes to return to standing. At the top, reset and prepare for the next rep. Focus on maintaining solid form with each repetition—keep your knees from collapsing inward and your chest lifted throughout the movement.

Anthropometrics and How They Affect Your Squat

Anthropometry refers to the size and proportions of the human body. It’s an essential factor when considering the optimal squat technique, as everyone’s body is different. The key anthropometric factors that influence your squat include:

• Leg Length: If you have longer legs relative to your torso, you may find that you need to widen your stance and/or elevate your heels to maintain balance and proper form. With longer legs you will also have more of a forward trunk lean than someone with shorter legs. 
• Torso Length: People with shorter torsos often find it easier to keep a more upright torso during squats, while individuals with longer torsos may need to focus on hip mobility and adjust their stance to avoid excessive leaning forward.
• Hip Anatomy: The shape of your hip sockets can impact how deep you can squat comfortably. People with more “open” or “shallow” hips tend to squat deeper naturally, while those with narrower hips might find it difficult to achieve full squat depth without discomfort.
• Mobility: Your ankle, hip, and thoracic spine mobility play significant roles in achieving proper squat depth and form. Individuals with limited ankle dorsiflexion, the ability to point the toes upward, may struggle with squat depth without leaning forward excessively or lifting heels. 

Common Squat Mistakes to Avoid

To make sure you’re squatting correctly, here are a few common mistakes to keep in mind. 

• Knee valgus or knees caving inward, when this happens increased strain is placed on the knees and reduced muscle activation of hips. 
• Rounding the back: It is important to maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement of a squat. It is common for rounding of the spine to occur at the bottom of the squat, also referred to as a “butt wink”. If your back rounds, you might be going too deep for the mobility and strength that you currently have. To eliminate butt wink squat to the depth that you can maintain a neutral spine and work on exercise to improve strength in the bottom of the squat. 
• Heels lifting off the ground: If your heels are coming off the ground during a squat, you may be leaning too far forward or have limited ankle mobility. Focus on keeping the weight even throughout feet and drop hips towards ground between feet to the depth in which you can maintain both feet flat on ground. If heel lifting is from ankle stiffness performing calf stretches and ankle mobility exercise to improve range of motion. To improve squat while ankle mobility is limited, a heel lift can improve squat depth. 
• Not going low enough: Going too shallow during a squat won’t engage your muscles fully. Aim to lower your hips to at least parallel but if you can go deeper without sacrificing form, do so.

Variations of Squats to Try

Once you’ve mastered the bodyweight squat, there are several variations you can try to add variety and challenge to your workout:

• Goblet Squat: Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest height to add resistance.
• Barbell Back Squat: Place a barbell across your upper back for added weight and challenge.
• Front Squat: Hold the barbell in front of your body (on your shoulders) for a different angle of resistance.
• Split Squat: Perform squat with one foot forward and one foot back similar to a lunge. Repeat with the opposite leg forward. 
• Bulgarian Split Squat: Perform squats with one leg elevated on a bench behind you for a more unilateral (one-legged) challenge.
• Jump Squat: Add a plyometric element by jumping explosively at the top of the squat. 

Conclusion

Squats are not just a leg exercise—they’re a full-body movement that engages your core, improves posture, enhances athletic performance, and offers numerous health benefits. To get the most out of your squats, focus on proper technique, tailor your form to your unique anthropometrics, and consistently challenge your muscles through progressive overload. Whether you’re training for strength, injury prevention, or overall fitness, squats should be a foundational part of your workout routine. If you’re struggling with form or experiencing pain during squats, consider working with a physical therapist to help you move better, train smarter, and reach your squat goals. 

Young man doing a squat with excellent form.