Bodyweight Squat Guide: How to Master Bodyweight Squats

A bodyweight squat is a compound exercise that works muscle groups throughout your body. Perform bodyweight squats by beginning in a standing position with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your back straight and your core engaged as you lower your body, hinging your hips and knees. Pause once your thighs are parallel to the floor, and stand once again. Repeat this movement for your desired number of repetitions.

For bodyweight squats, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 12–20 repetitions. Choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout each set.

1. 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. Keep your shoulders directly over your hips and your head and neck in a neutral position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin.
2. 2. Evenly distribute your weight and grip the floor with your feet to create a stable position. Place your arms by your sides, pre-tension your shoulders and hips, and engage your core. All repetitions should begin from this starting position.
3. 3. While maintaining your alignment, begin the downward movement by bending your hips, knees, and ankles. Allow your arms to travel in front of your body as you lower into the squat position.
4. 4. Lower until your legs are parallel or slightly below parallel with the floor. Only lower as far as you can maintain a level pelvis and keep the weight on your feet evenly distributed. Imagine that your pelvis is a bucket filled with water and you’re attempting not to spill any of it. Pause at the bottom position.
5. 5. To begin the upward movement, push your feet into the ground to initiate standing up. Place emphasis on pushing through your mid-foot and heel while keeping your toes engaged. Keep your chest high and squeeze your glutes as you allow your knees to straighten and your hips to travel forward. Allow your arms to travel back toward your sides.
6. 6. As you finish the movement, squeeze your glutes and quadriceps while maintaining a neutral spine. At the end of each repetition, your shoulders should finish directly over your hips.
7. 7. Repeat for your desired number of repetitions.

Regularly performing squats can have several benefits.

1. 1. Bodyweight squats build muscle in your lower body. As you go through the full range of motion of a bodyweight squat, you activate muscles like the hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, and calf muscles. Doing squats can help you prepare for other strength-training exercises like deadlifts.
2. 2. Bodyweight squats burn calories. With proper squat form, bodyweight squats can increase your heart rate to burn calories and promote cardiovascular health.
3. 3. Bodyweight squats are versatile. Squats are an easy bodyweight exercise to learn and practice at home. Once you’ve practiced the basic squat, try another squat variation like the single-leg squat, pistol squat, sumo squat, or a weighted squat variation using a barbell, kettlebell, or pair of dumbbells.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Throw on some athleisure, fire up a MasterClass Annual Membership, and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and GQ fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time.