They’re called Body Weight Squats because you are only using your body as weight. You are not adding more resistance through holding hand weights.

Major Muscles Worked:

Legs, Glutes, Thighs, Core

Set Up:

  1. Stand with your feet just over hip width apart.
    Your feet should be pointing in the direction that is most comfortable for your hips. This could be parallel to each other or an outward angle. If your feet are not parallel, ensure that both feet are at the same angle pointing away from the body.

The Movement:

  1. Start by tipping your pelvis backwards.
  2. Bend at the knees.
  3. Stick your butt out.
  4. Keep your chest up.
    Don’t bend over!
  5. As you lower, keep the weight in the heels of your feet.
  6. Lower until your thighs become parallel with the floor.
  7. Reverse direction making sure that you press through the heels, and not the balls of your feet.

Specific Cues:

  • Look straight ahead – this ensures that you’re not rounding your back
  • It doesn’t matter how close the weight gets to the ground. It matters how close your butt gets to the ground.
  • When pushing back up to stand, ensure that your hips don’t raise before your upper body. It should all be one smooth movement.

 

Pulsing Squats

  • At the bottom of the movement, you will pulse 3 times before returning to the standing position.

Other Squat Variations

Wall Sits


Banded Squats


Pulsing Squat


Squat w/Alternating Side Leg Raise

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