Whether you love or loathe them, squats work. They’re beneficial not only for your legs and glutes, but also your core. Plus, they’re a functional exercise, meaning they can help make everyday activities easier.
3. Whether you love or loathe them, squats work.
They’re beneficial not only for your legs and glutes,
but also your core. Plus, they’re a functional
exercise, meaning they can help make everyday
activities easier.
And while there’s no denying the effectiveness of a
basic squat, there are plenty more where that came
from. Below, we’ve got 45 variations to help you up
your squat game and keep things interesting.
4. Bodyweight squats:
1. Basic squat
• This is the holy grail of squatting. Master this
foundational move and you’ll be in great shape as you
work your way through this list.
• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly
out, and your arms down at your side.
• Start to hinge at the hips and bend your knees, sitting
back like you’re going to sit down and allowing your
arms to raise up in front of you. Ensure that your knees
don’t fall inward and your back stays straight.
• When your thighs are parallel to the ground, stop and
push up through your heels to return to start.
5. 2. Wall squat
If you have knee or hip problems, a wall squat will
provide extra support.
• Stand with your back against a wall and step your
feet out about 12 inches from the wall.
• Bend your knees, dropping into a squat while
keeping your back pinned to the wall throughout
the movement.
• Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Push up through your heels back to start.
6. 3. Prisoner squat
Putting your hands behind your head helps to
stabilize your core and shoulders.
• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes
slightly out, arms bent, and fingers interlaced
behind your head.
• Proceed with a basic squat.
7. 4. Side squat
It’s important to work in all planes of motion while
exercising that means not only front and back, but side
to side as well.
• Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and your
arms down at your sides.
• Begin to hinge at the hips and bend your knees,
stepping your right foot out to the side and allowing
your arms to raise up in front of you to a comfortable
position.
• When your thighs are parallel to the ground, stand up,
stepping your left foot to meet your right.
8. 5. Pistol squat
A more advanced move, a pistol squat is a single-leg
bodyweight squat that requires strength, balance,
and mobility.
• Start standing with your feet together and extend
your arms out in front of you.
• Lift your left leg up off of the floor in front of you
and squat down on your right, lowering until your
left leg is parallel to the floor.
• Stand up and repeat on the other side.
9. 6. Single-leg squat
Not to be confused with a pistol squat, a single-leg squat
is just that — a squat on one leg. The main difference is
that in a single-leg squat, the free leg doesn’t have to be
parallel to the ground.
• Start by standing with your feet together and your
arms out in front of you.
• Lift your left leg up off of the ground in front of you
and squat down on your right as far as you can go,
stopping when your right thigh is parallel to the
ground.
• Stand up, then switch legs.
10. 7. Plié squat
Channel your inner ballet star with a plié squat. It’s
great for targeting your hips, too.
• Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width
apart, toes pointed out.
• Bend your knees, dropping until your thighs are
parallel to the ground, or as far as you can go.
Keep your chest up throughout the movement.
• Push through your heels to return to start.
11. 8. Plié squat with foot drag
• Start by doing a plié squat. As you come back
up, drag your right foot on the ground to meet
your left leg.
• Step your left foot out wide, plié squat, then
drag your left foot to meet your right.
12. 9. Squat with knee drive
• Drop down into a basic squat.
• As you come up, drive your right knee up as
high as it will go.
• Drop immediately down again to another
basic squat, pushing up and driving your left
knee up this time.
13. 10. Side-kick squat
Adding a kick to your squats takes them from
strength to cardio in no time.
• Drop down into a basic squat.
• As you come up, kick your right leg up as high as
it will go.
• Drop immediately down again to another basic
squat, pushing up and kicking your left leg up.
