How to do squats: Master the Perfect Squat Beginners to Pro

Are you looking to find the perfect squat, from beginner to pro?

Squats are important for everyday activities like sitting and lifting weights, and can also improve your performance in sports like running and tennis.

All major muscles in your lower body are worked, making you stronger and more flexible. Squats are fantastic for shaping and strengthening your glutes, making them perfect whether you want to up your athletic game or just tone your back.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just starting your fitness journey, learning how to do squats properly can greatly impact your overall performance in fitness workouts.

Table of Content

How to do squat with proper form?

It is important to hit the squats appropriately to maximize benefits and minimize the risk of injury. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do the squat correctly.

Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Your feet should point slightly, about 10-15 degrees. Keep your chest up and your core tight.

Step 2: Push your hips back and start the squat. Think of sitting with your hips back as if you were trying to touch a chair from behind. Put your weight on your heels as you go down.

Step 3: Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. If your walk allows, go further, but parallel depth is a minimum goal.

Step 4: Bring yourself back up to the starting position. Focus on pushing farther down rather than pulling up. Push your glutes on.

Step 5: Maintain good posture throughout the movement. Keep your chest, shoulders, back and core braced. Avoid rounding the bottom of the page.

Step-6: Breathe out as you stand up, breathe in as you come down. This helps maintain abdominal pressure.

Start with bodyweight squats and gradually increase your weight over time with dumbbells, barbells, or squat racks. Proper technique is important to avoid injury and get the most out of this special exercise.

How Many Sets of Squats Should I Do?

The number of squats you should perform depends on your fitness goals and current fitness level. Here are some factors to consider when determining the number of squats.

For Beginners: Beginners can start with bodyweight squats or weightless squats. Aim for 12-15 reps and 3 sets, gradually increasing intensity as you progress.

Increased strength: If your goal is to increase strength, you can focus on low-weight lifting. Aim for 4-6 reps and 2-3 sets.

Hypertrophy (muscle size): High volume with low weight is recommended if you want to build muscle size and endurance. Choose a weight you can lift 12-16 reps for sets of 3-6.

Consider the intensity of your squats and the time you need to recover. High-intensity squats may require longer rest periods between sessions, while high-intensity squats can be performed repeatedly.

Remember, it’s important to maintain a healthy posture and listen to your body. If you are not sure of how many sets you should do, consult with a Fitness Coach or trainer who can give you proper guidance.

Types of squats: Which works for your body

Squat is so much more than just one exercise. There are different variations of the squat each offering unique benefits and challenges.

Top 10 most effective Types of squats.

Bodyweight squat: Bodyweight squats are simple Types of squats yet effective exercises that target key muscle groups in the lower body without the need for any equipment.

Bodyweight squats are a great starting point for beginners looking to strengthen the lower body. As you get stronger, you can progress to weights like dumbbells or barbells for resistance.

Back Squat: A classic barbell back squat, where the barbell is positioned behind the head in the upper back. This targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings as the primary stimulators. Mobility in the hips and ankles is essential to maintain proper form.

Front Squat: This type of squat is just the opposite of back squats. The barbell is held in front of the body and rests in front of the shoulders. This variation places more emphasis on the quads compared to a back squat and also challenges the core to maintain a correct torso position

Goblet Squat: A goblet squat is a type of squat exercise that involves holding a weight, usually a kettlebell, close to your chest while you squat down. It is called a goblet squat because you hold the weight in front of you, similar to holding a goblet or cup.

Sumo squat: A Sumo squat is a type of exercise that targets the glutes (butt muscles) and inner thighs. It is called a Sumo squat because it mimics the wide stance of a Sumo wrestler. Sumo squats can be done with or without weights, such as dumbbells or kettlebells

Overhead Squat: The overhead squat is a compound exercise that involves holding a barbell or other weight overhead while performing a squat. Engaging multiple muscles in your upper and lower body helps to strengthen your core, lower body muscles, and even the muscles in your shoulders, arms, chest, and back.

This exercise can also reduce the risk of injury by improving your form, balance, and mobility.

Split squat: Split squats are a highly effective exercise that primarily targets the quads and glutes. A single-leg squat is performed by placing one leg in front of the other. Split squats are a great strength exercise in their own right. They target the legs differently compared to traditional squats and deadlifts

Jump Squat: Jump squats are a powerful exercise that works both your upper and lower body muscles. They can be done without any equipment and in a small space. This exercise is great for building strength and power, improving agility and mobility, and burning calories. It targets muscles such as the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, abs, and calves

Pistol Squat: The most challenging one-legged squat, usually done without weights. A pistol squat is a challenging exercise that focuses on unilateral stability and lower body strength. It involves standing on one leg while extending the other leg straight out in front of you.

Box Squat: A box squat is a type of squat exercise that can help improve your lower body strength and form. It involves squatting down until your butt touches a box or bench behind you, and then standing back up. Beginners can start with bodyweight box squats, while more advanced individuals can use weights like kettlebells or barbells.

Zercher Squat: The Zercher squat is a type of squat exercise that targets multiple muscles in your body, especially quads, glutes, core, biceps, and traps. To perform a Zercher squat, you can either use a squat rack. If you don’t have a squat rack, you can still do Zercher squats by using a barbell or a sandbag.

Bulgarian split squat: The Bulgarian split squat is an exercise that targets your leg muscles, especially the quadriceps. It is a type of single-leg squat where one leg is elevated behind you on a bench or sturdy chair. The Bulgarian split squat can be done with or without weights, It is a great addition to a lower-body workout routine

Important Tip

Doing different types of squats can work for different muscle groups in your body. Start with a basic squat, then try other variations like the front or back squat as you get stronger.

No matter which squat you do, focus on keeping good form with your chest up, back straight, and knees behind your toes.

Benefits of squats

Squats offer many benefits for your overall health and well-being. Here are some of the main benefits of adding squats to your workout routine.

Strengthens the lower body muscles: Squats specifically target your glutes (butt muscles) and quadriceps muscles (thigh muscles). They also engage other muscles such as hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors, promoting overall body strength and muscle growth.

Core strength: Squats require you to engage your core muscles for stability and balance during movement. This exercise helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles, obliques, and lower back, improving your overall core stability.

To burn calories and lose weight: Squats are compound exercises that engage multiple muscle groups at the same time. This allows you to burn more calories during and after your workout, which can lead to weight loss.

Improved Flexibility: Squats help improve flexibility by stretching and strengthening your lower body muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This can help improve your mobility and prevent age-related stiffness.

Improving posture and balance: Squats target the muscles responsible for proper posture and balance, such as the glutes and core muscles. As these muscles strengthen, your posture improves and your balance improves.

Versatility and variety: Squats can be performed in a variety of styles, including bodyweight squats, weighted squats, and squat variations. This versatility allows you to add variety to your workouts by targeting different muscle groups

What are the 5 common mistakes when squatting?

Here are five common mistakes to avoid when squatting:

Poor form: Poor grip can put unnecessary stress on your joints and increase your risk of injury. Lift your chest, engage your core, and follow your knees toward your toes.
Shallow squats: Not going down enough in your squats can prevent your glutes and hamstrings from working. Aim to get as low as possible, as much as possible until your hips are parallel to the floor.
Leaning forward: Leaning too far forward during your squat can strain your lower back and draw attention to your lower body muscles. Put your weight on your heels and remain upright throughout your movement.
Locking your knees: Keeping your knees down can strain your knee joints and increase your risk of injury. Focus on keeping your knees and ankles aligned throughout the squat.
Using too much weight: It is important to start with a weight that you can handle appropriately. Using too much weight compromises your range of motion and increases your risk of injury. As you become stronger and more comfortable with the movement, gradually increase the weight to continue challenging your muscles and boosting your strength.

FAQs: How to do squats?

How should a beginner do squats?

For beginners, it is important to pay attention to proper form and technique in performing the squat. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do the squat properly:

Stand with your toes slightly out, shoulder-width apart.

Keep your chest lifted as you engage your core, rotating your shoulders back and down.

You bend your knees and push your hips back as if you were sitting in a chair with your body down.

Track the weight from your heels to your ankles and knees.

Go as far down as you can while maintaining a normal posture, as much as possible until your hips are parallel to the floor.

Push your heels back to the starting position.

It’s important to start with bodyweight squats and gradually increase the difficulty as you become more comfortable and confident with the movement.

How many squats a day?

The number of squats you should do in a day depends on your overall health and fitness goals. If you are a beginner, aim for 3 sets of 12-15 reps with at least one round a few days a week.

As you progress, you can increase the number of sets or reps to challenge yourself. However, there is no magic number when it comes to squats. It is more important to focus accordingly and gradually increase the intensity over time.

Do squats burn belly fat?

Squats are a great exercise for strength and muscles in the lower body, including the quad, hamstring, and glutes. While squats can contribute to overall fat loss by increasing muscle mass and increasing metabolism, they alone will not specifically target belly fat.

To burn belly fat, it is important to combine regular exercise, which includes exercise, with a well-balanced diet, and a comprehensive workout program combining cardiovascular exercise and strength training for the whole body

What will happen if I do 100 squats a day?

Doing 100 squats a day can be a tough workout, especially for beginners. It can help improve lower body strength, endurance, and muscle tone. However, it’s important to listen to your body and gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts.

If you are not used to squatting or have any underlying health conditions, besides the advice to start with a low number of reps and gradually work your way up, it is important to take a nap you incorporate rest into your routine to recover your muscles and prevent overtraining.