Bodyweight Squats

01 Steps

1. 1 Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out (15-30°).
2. 2 Extend your arms in front of you for balance or place your hands behind your head.
3. 3 Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back as if sitting on an invisible chair.
4. 4 Descend by bending at the hips and knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor (or lower if your mobility allows).
5. 5 Push through the floor with your heels to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.

02 Tips

• ✓ Your knees should track in the direction of your toes — do not let them cave inward.
• ✓ Keep your chest up and eyes looking straight ahead throughout the movement.
• ✓ If your heels lift off the floor, work on ankle mobility or place a book under your heels.

03 Common mistakes

• ✗ Knees caving inward (valgus): actively push your knees outward.
• ✗ Leaning too far forward: keep your torso as upright as possible.
• ✗ Not going deep enough: aim for at least thighs parallel to the floor.

04 If you struggle

• → Do squats while holding on to a support (door frame, table) for balance.
• → Chair squat: actually sit down on a chair and stand back up.
• → Reduce the range of motion by only going halfway down.