Odds are that you’ve done a squat or two before, as they’re a common exercise you likely learned in gym class. However, do you know the proper form for a squat and what muscles it works? Ensuring you’re doing a squat correctly can help you increase your strength and avoid injury. That is why we reached out to certified personal trainers to learn everything there is to know about squats, how to do them and their benefits.
How to do a squat
Ellen Thompson, NASM-certified personal trainer and area personal manager at Blink Fitness, gave us the run-down on a basic squat with good form: “Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointed slightly outward. Remember to keep your chest up,” she explains. “Push your hips back, as if sitting in a chair. Your knees should be tracking over your toes, not more forward or inward. Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Drive through your heels to stand back up.”
While bending down and standing back up is a basic move, Thompson’s description shows that much of what makes squats a valuable exercise is where you derive your power for each part of the movement. Pushing the hips back, lowering down and driving through the heels are key to engaging the muscle groups that benefit most from this exercise.
There are also elements of the squat that are best conveyed as what not to do. Portia Page, NCPT and education curriculum coordinator at Balanced Body Inc., says to gently press the knees outward to avoid pressing inward, which can increase knee strain. She also notes that keeping the heels grounded is best to prevent strain while ensuring you’re working the glutes as much as expected for the exercise.
Thompson also cautions against rounding your back or pushing your knees too far forward over the ankles. In the end, a squat is a very precise exercise that requires strong form.
What muscles do squats work?
As a compound movement, squats engage your quads, glutes, hamstrings, core, adductors and calves, all in that one powerful strength training exercise.
“Since squats work multiple muscle groups, they are a great exercise for full-body strength and muscle growth. This also makes them a great movement for higher calorie burn and metabolic rate,” says Thompson. “Squats mimic real-life movements, like sitting, standing and lifting, making it a great functional exercise.”
Squats strengthen a variety of muscle groups, which is part of your foundational exercise work when you’re building toward greater fitness goals.
Page adds, “Squats done daily also help with overall lower body functioning, reducing the risk of injury.”
Squat variations you can try
While a basic squat brings a lot of value to your workout, you can adjust a squat to gain other benefits, either by increasing resistance or using additional muscle groups. Once you add resistance, you may move from a purely bodyweight exercise to using additional equipment, such as squat racks.
It’s valuable to perfect your form using a regular bodyweight squat first before attempting the following squat variations, as described by Page and Thompson:
- Back squats and front squats use a barbell on the upper back or front shoulders, respectively, to focus on specific areas, like lower body strength or the quads. In a 2024 study, both of these squat variations promoted strength-related improvements, with back squats creating greater strength-related improvements.
- Try a goblet squat, in which you hold a kettlebell or dumbbell in front. This will engage the core and challenge your upper body’s stability.
- Jump squats have you adding an explosive movement to the motions, building your power and endurance. If you intend to add weights, make sure to practice without weights first to perfect your form. Then, you can add light weights as you progress.
- A different stance, such as a wider stance for a sumo squat or elevated heels for the heel-elevated squat, targets your muscle groups differently.
- Slowing down with the pause squat, where you hold at the bottom of the squat, can enhance muscle control.
- Bulgarian split squats are performed with one foot elevated behind you on a box. This helps you target one leg while also adding a balance component. A pistol squat challenges you to do the entire exercise one-legged, with the other leg sticking straight out in front of you.
- To work similar muscle groups without straining your knee while holding the squat position, you might also try wall sits. According to Page, they build isometric strength and leg endurance.
Who should avoid doing squats?
With so many squat variations, it’s important to check in with yourself and monitor for pain — especially if you’ve been trying different forms or have a recent or chronic injury. A personal trainer or medical professional can recommend whether to do specific squat variations depending on your own combination of injury risk factors.
According to Page and Thompson, individuals who benefit from being careful as they incorporate squats into their workouts include:
- People with knee injuries who may need to do a wall sit, glute bridge or leg press to put less pressure on the knees.
- People with lower back issues. Split squats and leg presses can be less taxing on the lower back.
- People with a history of ACL/MCL injuries may be better served with shallow or supported squats, Page points out, since they can control depth and range of motion more.
- Hip pain and mobility issues might indicate better results with side squats or sumo squats.
- If you’re dealing with ankle mobility challenges, consider heel-elevated squats for that additional benefit.
In all cases, stretching and mobility work, in addition to exercises like squats, helps reduce the chance of injury or re-injury if you’re recovering from a past condition or concern.
Expert tips for getting started with squats
As for getting started with squats, Page recommends beginning with bodyweight and working your way up to adding weights or depth. “Begin with two to three sets of 10-12 reps, focusing on form and control,” says Page. “Signs that it’s time to progress are that they can complete all reps with good form and minimal fatigue, then add another set, increase the reps to 12-15 or add resistance.”
Thompson recommends a similar routine of two to three sets with 10-15 reps, prioritizing proper depth and knee tracking rather than maximizing the number of reps and sets. Adding the dumbbell for a goblet squat is a logical next step for adding resistance, and a barbell squat (either front squats or back squats) can push you further as well. Remember to reduce reps and sets when adding new resistance until you get used to it.
“When your form feels solid, you can increase your rep count. Additionally, if the squats start to feel easy, increase your rep count. The same goes for weight!” says Thompson.
The bottom line
A basic squat is a simple movement, but underneath what looks simple, there are key elements of good form that make them a valuable addition to your full-body workout routines. A wide variety of adjustments also allow each squat to work additional muscles or build your strength and endurance in distinct ways.
Following advice from certified personal trainers who have studied how the body reacts to different exercises can help you avoid injuries and get a good workout without exacerbating past injuries. And finally, start any workout routine small, knowing that you can work your way up to higher reps, sets and resistance levels once you’ve observed that your body is reacting well.
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