Bodyweight Squat

Description

How to Do Bodyweight Squat

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward (5-15 degrees). Maintain a neutral spine and engage your core.

2. 2
   Setup

   Extend your arms forward at shoulder height for balance, or cross them over your chest.

3. 3

   Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back as if sitting in a chair, while simultaneously bending your knees.

4. 4

   Lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, ensuring your knees track in line with your toes and your heels remain grounded.

5. 5

   Drive through your heels and midfoot, squeezing your glutes, to return to the starting standing position while exhaling.

Tips

• Focus on "sitting back" rather than just bending your knees to properly engage your glutes and protect your knees.
• Keep your chest up and shoulders back throughout the movement to maintain a neutral spine and avoid excessive forward lean.
• Breathe in as you lower down and exhale forcefully as you push back up to help stabilize your core and generate power.
• If ankle mobility is an issue, elevate your heels slightly by placing small plates under them to allow for a deeper, more comfortable squat.

Common Mistakes

• ×Knees caving inward: To correct this, actively push your knees outward, ensuring they track in line with your second and third toes throughout the squat.
• ×Rounding the lower back: Prevent this by maintaining a strong, engaged core and keeping your chest lifted, which helps keep your spine neutral.
• ×Lifting heels off the ground: Ensure your weight is distributed evenly through your midfoot and heels by focusing on driving through your entire foot as you ascend.