Squats are like the LBD of your butt and leg workouts. They’re a total staple, and they make your bod look amazing.
But squats aren’t just great for your booty: They strengthen pretty much every muscle in your lower body, including your thighs, core, calves, glutes, hamstrings, and abs—assuming you do them right, of course.
Here’s how to do a classic squat
First, stand tall with your feet spread shoulder-width apart. Bend your legs and lower your hips toward the floor, making sure to not let your knees collapse inward while you’re doing so. Return to stand while squeezing your glutes. That’s one rep.
Now that you know how to do a standard squat, consider adding some squat variations to the mix; each type of squat below works your muscles in different ways for max lower-body benefits.
Time: 15 minutes
Equipment: None
Good for: Lower body
Instructions: Choose three moves below. For each move, do the indicated number of reps, then continue to the next move. Repeat the entire three-move circuit two to three times.
These moves are demo’d by trainers Lauren Kanski, Tatiana Lampa, Anna Victoria, Lacey Stone, Judine St. Gerard, Bree Branker, and Roxie Jones.
1. Goblet Squat
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a kettlebell in front of your chest, elbows pointing toward the floor. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Return to start. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps.
2. Bulgarian Split Squat
How to: Stand about two feet in front of a step; extend your right leg back and place the top of your foot on the step. (Optional: Hold a dumbbell in each hand.) That’s your starting position. Bend your knees to lower your body as far as you can (or until your knee gently taps the ground), keeping your shoulders back, chest up, and hips facing forward. Pause, then press through your left heel to return to start. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps on each side.
3. Cossak Squat With Overhead Press
How to: Begin by standing up straight, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and a kettlebell in each hand. Rack the kettlebells in front of your chest, and then raise your right arm straight into the air. Lift your left foot and take a large step to the left, then sit your hips back and lower down until your thighs are nearly parallel to the floor. Straighten your left leg and rise back up. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps on each side.
4. Kang Squat
How to: Stand up straight with your feet wider than hip-distance apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Place your hands behind your head. Hinge at your hips and lower your torso down until it is nearly parallel with the ground. Then, sit your hips back and bend at the knees until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Push through your heels and reverse the movement, returning to stand. That’s one rep. Complete 12 to 15 reps.
5. Modified Pistol Squat
How to: Sit on a chair with a dumbbell held in both hands in front of your chest. Lift your right foot so it’s hovering above the floor. Push through your left heel and rise up to standing on one leg, while bringing your right leg up to a 90-degree angle at hip height. Reverse the movement and lower back to start. That’s one rep. Complete 12 to 15 reps on each side.
6. Pistol Squat With Medicine Ball
How to: Stand on your left leg. The other should be bent with your right foot in line with your opposite knee. Hold a medicine ball in front of your chest. Extend your right leg and press the ball in front of you as you lower your body down as far as you can go. Driving through your left heel, stand up and bring the ball back to your chest. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps on each side.
7. Lateral Step Out Squat
How to: Stand up straight with a resistance band wrapped just below your knees. Clasp your hands in front of your chest. Take a big step to the right, then bend your knees, sit back, and lower until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Engage your glutes and press back up through your heels to your starting position. Repeat on the other side. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps.
8. Squat To Press And Twist
How to: Hold dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows bent, and palms facing each other. Sit your hips back and lower down into a squat position. As you rise up, press the weights overhead and rotate your torso to one side. Lower back into a squat, then repeat the twist on the opposite side. That’s one rep. Complete 10 reps.
9. Isometric Squat
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands clasped in front of your chest. Push your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are nearly parallel to the ground. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
10. Curl To Squat And Press
How to: Get into a low squat position, with a kettlebell in each hand. Curl the weights up until they’re racked on your shoulders. Then, press through your heels and drive your body up to a standing position, using the momentum to lift the kettlebells overhead in the same motion. Lower back to your starting position. That’s one rep. Complete 15 reps.
11. Squat To Overhead Press
How to: Start in a standing position with feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart. Hold a kettlebell in each hand racked on your shoulders. Lower your body down in to a squat. Then, keeping your core tight and torso upright, straighten your legs and press the weight overhead until your arms are straight, rotating your palms to face forward. That’s one rep. Complete 15reps.
12. Plié Squat
How to: Stand with your legs about two feet apart, legs turned out so your inner thighs are pointed forward, hands clasped in front of your chest. Bend your knees and sink your tailbone toward the floor (keeping your pelvis tucked and trying not to stick your butt out). Continue lowering yourself until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Return back to start. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps.
13. Squat and Lunge
How to: Start in a standing position with your hands clasped in front of your chest. Lower down into a squat, making sure to keep your knees over your ankles not your toes. Come back to start. Take a large step forward with your left foot and lower down toward the ground allowing both legs to bend to approximately 90 degrees. Return to start. That’s one rep. Do 15 on each side.
14. Side-To-Side Squat Jump
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms by your sides. Lower into a squat, then, swing your arms behind you and use the momentum to hop to the right, landing in a squat. Jump back to start. That’s one rep. Do 15 on each side.
15. Lateral Squat Walk
How to: Start in a squat position. Maintaining a tight core, step your left foot out to the side, followed by your right. Then reverse the movement, trying to stay low and keep your head level the whole time. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps. (Place a mini band around your thighs for a greater challenge.)
16. Squat Pulse
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands clasped in front of your chest. Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat. Lift your body up a couple of inches, then lower back down. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps.
17. Squat Jump
How to: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out, with your knees tracking over your second and third toes, and your hands clasped in front of your chest. Bend your knees, then explosively jump as high as you can. Land softly on the balls of your feet and immediately lower into your next squat. That’s one rep. Do 15 reps.
18. Wide-Leg Sumo Squat
How to: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart, then turn your toes open. Bend your knees, push your hips back, and lower down into a squat until your hips are slightly below the level of your knees. Pause at the bottom, then drive into your heels to stand up. That’s one rep. Do 20 reps.
19. Sumo Squat With Pulse On Toes
How to: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Lift your heels, so your weight is in the balls of your feet. Bend your knees, push your hips back, and lower down into a squat until your hips are slightly below the level of your knees. Pause at the bottom, then drive into your heels to lift two inches higher. Lower back down. That’s one rep. Do 20 reps.
20. Sumo Squat Jack
How to: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-distance apart, toes slightly turned out. Bend your knees and sit your hips back to lower your body until your knees are bent nearly 90 degrees, with your arms crossed in front of your chest. From that position, jump your legs in to meet each other, lifting your arms straight up overhead. Immediately jump back to your squat position. That’s one rep. Do 20 reps.
21. Spiderman Lunge And Squat
How to: Get into a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders. Bend your right leg and bring your foot outside your right hand. Then repeat on the left side. Lift your torso to until your upright in a low squat with your hands clasped in front of your chest. Hold this position for two seconds. Then, place your hands down in front of you, and jump your feet back to high plank. That’s one rep. Do 20 reps.
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