Quads · Compound movement
Bodyweight Squat
A compound exercise for the quads, with the glutes working too. No equipment needed.
Looping the start and end of the movement.
Primary muscle
Quads
Secondary muscles
Glutes
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Bodyweight Squat
- Stand with the feet slightly wider than shoulder width and the toes turned out a small amount.
- Reach the arms forward or clasp them at the chest to act as a counterbalance as you descend.
- Sit straight down between the hips, breaking at the hips and knees together rather than leading with either.
- Descend until the hip crease drops below the top of the knee, keeping the heels flat on the floor.
- Keep the knees tracking out over the toes and the chest tall throughout the descent.
- Drive up through the mid-foot to stand fully tall, squeezing the glutes at the top of each rep.
Suggested working range: 12–20 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Letting the heels rise off the floor at the bottom of the squat.
- •Cutting depth short well above parallel instead of sitting fully down.
- •Letting the knees cave inward on the way up out of the bottom.
- •Rounding the lower back at the deepest point of the descent.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Bodyweight Squat fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize quads volume.
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