- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternSquat
- Reps10 to 30 reps
- Joint loadKnee
How to do the Bodyweight Squat
Set up. Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes turned slightly out, arms in front of you for balance.
- Bend your hips and knees to sit down between your heels.
- Go as deep as you can with a flat back and heels down.
- Stand back up.
Form cues
- Keep your chest up.
- Keep the knees over the toes.
- Keep the weight over the middle of the foot.
Common mistakes
- Letting the knees fall inward.
- Lifting the heels.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
On the way: Glutes and Calves.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Bodyweight Squat, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Nordic Curl Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Monster Walk Same legs session: it trains the abductors.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Bodyweight Squat first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Bodyweight Squat 3 × 10 to 30 reps
- Nordic Curl 3 × 3 to 10 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Monster Walk 3 × 10 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat
Kettlebell
Gym or cable swap
Hack Squat
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Goblet Squat.
Other variations of the Goblet Squat: Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat and Front-Rack Kettlebell Squat.
Its variations: Wall Sit and Pistol Squat.
Do before it: Ankle Mobilisation (ankle range), Deep Squat Hold (same movement, lighter), Bodyweight Squat (same movement, lighter) and 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Bodyweight Squat is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Bodyweight Squat?
Set up: Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, toes turned slightly out, arms in front of you for balance. Steps: 1. Bend your hips and knees to sit down between your heels. 2. Go as deep as you can with a flat back and heels down. 3. Stand back up. Form cues: Keep your chest up. Keep the knees over the toes. Keep the weight over the middle of the foot. Common mistakes: Letting the knees fall inward. Lifting the heels.
What muscles does the Bodyweight Squat work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes and calves on the way.
What can I do instead of the Bodyweight Squat?
At home: Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat. In a gym: Hack Squat. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Bodyweight Squat with?
Good partners in the same workout are Nordic Curl, Cossack Squat and Monster Walk.