Master Your Squats at Home: A Complete Guide

Basic Bodyweight Squat Instruction

1. Starting Position:

   • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your toes should point slightly outward.
   • Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and core engaged.
   • Your arms can be extended in front of you or placed on your hips.

2. Descent:

   • Begin by pushing your hips back as if you’re sitting into a chair.
   • Bend your knees and lower your body. Keep your chest up and your back neutral. Your knees should track over your toes and not extend past your toes.
   • Continue lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground or as low as you can go while maintaining proper form.

3. Bottom Position:

   • In the bottom position, your weight should be evenly distributed between your heels and the balls of your feet. Your knees should be aligned with your toes.

4. Ascent:

   • Push through your heels to stand back up, straightening your knees and hips.
   • Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement and ensure your knees don’t cave inward.

5. Repeat:

   • Perform the desired number of repetitions. For beginners, start with 10-15 reps per set and aim for 2-3 sets.

Tips for Better Squats:

• Depth: Go as low as you can while maintaining proper form. If you can’t go parallel yet, don’t worry—work on your flexibility and range of motion gradually.
• Knee Tracking: Ensure your knees stay aligned with your toes throughout the movement. Avoid letting them collapse inward.
• Breathing: Inhale as you lower yourself and exhale as you push up.
• Practice: Practice with just your body weight before adding any resistance. Once you're comfortable, you can progress to adding weights or resistance bands.

• Form First: Focus on proper form to prevent injuries. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, and your knees should track over your toes. Keep your chest up and back straight.

• Warm Up: Always warm up before squatting. This can include dynamic stretches or lighter exercises like bodyweight squats or lunges to get your muscles ready.

• Use a Full Range of Motion: Squat as low as you can while maintaining good form. Ideally, your thighs should be parallel to the ground or slightly below.

• Engage Your Core: Brace your core throughout the movement to support your lower back and maintain stability.

• Breathing: Inhale as you lower yourself and exhale as you push up. This helps maintain intra-abdominal pressure and stability.

• Foot Placement: Experiment with foot placement to find what works best for you. Some people prefer a wider stance, while others go for a narrower one.

• Gradual Progression: Increase the weight and intensity gradually to avoid overloading your muscles and joints.

• Add Variations: Incorporate different types of squats (e.g., front squats, goblet squats, Bulgarian split squats) to target different muscle groups and keep your workouts interesting.

• Recovery: Allow time for recovery between squat sessions. Your muscles need time to repair and grow stronger.

• Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to how your body feels during and after the workout. If you experience pain (not to be confused with muscle soreness), it might be a sign to adjust your form or take a break.