Potty Squat
Strengthen your core and sculpt your lower body with the Potty Squat. This bodyweight exercise targets your abs, obliques, quads, and glutes for improved
- Movement
- Compound
- Force
- Push
- Per set
- 45s
- Rest
- 30s
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store
Description
A full body workout that targets quads, hamstrings, glutes, and core. The user squats down as if sitting on a chair, then returns to standing position.
Save Potty Squat to a routine
Log sets, reps, and weight as you train — free in the Ellim app.
How to do Potty Squat
- 01Setup
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and core engaged throughout.
- 02Setup
Extend your arms straight forward at shoulder height for balance, or place your hands on your hips.
- 03
Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back and bending your knees, as if sitting on a very low toilet or chair behind you. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as deep as your mobility allows without rounding your lower back.
- 04
Maintain an upright torso and keep your knees tracking directly over your toes during the descent. Inhale as you lower down.
- 05
Exhale as you push through your heels and mid-foot to return to the starting standing position, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Tips
- Focus on maintaining a strong, braced core throughout the entire movement, as if preparing for a punch, to protect your spine and enhance stability.
- Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not collapse inward to protect your knee joints; actively push them outward slightly if needed.
- To increase core engagement, try to actively "pull" yourself down into the squat using your hip flexors and abdominals, rather than just passively descending.
- Visualize sitting *between* your heels, not just straight down, to encourage proper hip hinge mechanics and deeper glute activation.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back: Avoid rounding your lower back at the bottom of the squat by maintaining a neutral spine and only going as deep as your mobility allows.
- Knees caving inward: Prevent your knees from collapsing inward by actively pushing them out, ensuring they track directly over your mid-foot.
- Not going deep enough: Maximize muscle activation by descending until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, provided you can maintain good form and a neutral spine.
In the Ellim app, Potty Squat unlocks
Free — no subscription needed
Log sets, reps, and weight
Track every set as you train
See your strength curve
Performance graphs across all sessions
Add to a routine
Save into a custom workout in one tap
Rest timer with Live Activity
Dynamic Island countdown between sets
HealthKit sync
Workouts flow to Apple Health
3,500+ exercise library
Search, filter, and pick variations offline
Ready to train potty squat?
Get Ellim — FreeQuestions
What muscles does Potty Squat work?
Potty Squat primarily targets Rectus Abdominis. Secondary muscles include Obliques.
Is Potty Squat good for beginners?
Potty Squat is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.
What equipment do I need for Potty Squat?
You need Body weight to perform Potty Squat. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.
What are the best tips for Potty Squat?
Focus on maintaining a strong, braced core throughout the entire movement, as if preparing for a punch, to protect your spine and enhance stability. Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not collapse inward to protect your knee joints; actively push them outward slightly if needed. To increase core engagement, try to actively "pull" yourself down into the squat using your hip flexors and abdominals, rather than just passively descending. Visualize sitting *between* your heels, not just straight down, to encourage proper hip hinge mechanics and deeper glute activation.
What are common mistakes when doing Potty Squat?
Rounding the lower back: Avoid rounding your lower back at the bottom of the squat by maintaining a neutral spine and only going as deep as your mobility allows. Knees caving inward: Prevent your knees from collapsing inward by actively pushing them out, ensuring they track directly over your mid-foot. Not going deep enough: Maximize muscle activation by descending until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, provided you can maintain good form and a neutral spine.
Related exercises
Quarter Sit-up
Waist · Rectus Abdominis · Body weight
Groin Crunch
Waist · Rectus Abdominis · Body weight
Curl-up
Waist · Rectus Abdominis · Body weight
Reverse Crunch
Waist · Rectus Abdominis · Body weight
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
Back · Chest · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Back · Hips · Dumbbell
Track every rep of Potty Squat.
Watch the weight climb session by session and add it to a routine you will actually run. Free on iPhone.
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store