Bodyweight Squat
The foundation of all lower-body training — sit down and stand up with intent.
Setup
- Feet shoulder-width, toes turned out slightly (5–15°).
- Arms out front for counterbalance.
- Brace your core like someone's about to poke your stomach.
How To Do It
- Push hips back and bend knees together, like sitting into a chair.
- Descend until thighs are at least parallel — depth you can control.
- Keep heels down and knees tracking over toes.
- Drive through the whole foot to stand tall.
Breathing
Inhale on the way down, exhale as you drive up.
Common Mistakes
- Knees caving inward — screw your feet into the floor.
- Heels lifting — shift weight back, or elevate heels slightly while mobility improves.
- Chest collapsing — proud chest the whole rep.
Programming It
Three sets of 15-30, or as a warm-up before loaded work.
Why This Exercise Works
Everything about a loaded squat is present here except the load: the knees travel, the hips sit back, the trunk stays braced. Which makes it the place to fix a squat pattern, because there is no barbell punishing you for taking your time. Most squat problems under load are squat problems without load that nobody looked at.
Where You Should Feel It
Quads and glutes, with the ankles and hips telling you where your range actually ends. It should feel like a movement you own. If your heels lift, the ankles are the limit, not the legs.
Where It Fits in a Program
The foundation of all lower-body training — sit down and stand up with intent. Do it while you are fresh; the quality of these reps sets the session's tone.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the bodyweight squat: slow the descent to three seconds, or pause at the bottom. To regress it: hold a support in front of you, or squat to a box.
Who It's For
Everyone. It is where a squat pattern gets fixed, because there is no barbell punishing you for taking your time. Also the best warm-up before loaded squatting.
Equipment and Substitutions
Nothing to buy and nowhere to be — which is the point. If it is too easy, the harder variations below are the progression, not added weight.
Related Exercises
- Goblet Squat — Legs, Glutes, Core
- Barbell Back Squat — Legs, Glutes, Core
- Walking Lunge — Legs, Glutes, Conditioning
- Reverse Lunge — Legs, Glutes, Balance
- Lateral Lunge — Adductors, Glutes, Quads
- Sled Push — Legs, Glutes, Conditioning
- Landmine Squat — Quads, Glutes, Core
- Paused Goblet Squat — Quads, Glutes, Core
Common Questions
What muscles does the bodyweight squat work?
The bodyweight squat primarily trains the legs, glutes, core.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 15-30, or as a warm-up before loaded work.
What are the most common bodyweight squat mistakes?
Most often: knees caving inward; heels lifting.
Can I do this without any equipment?
Yes — this version needs no equipment at all. It trains the legs, glutes, core using bodyweight alone, which is why it travels well and works as a warm-up, a substitute, or a full session on its own.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The bodyweight squat loads the knee and ankle, so stiff ankles or an irritable knee will show up early. Sharp pain at a single point is the one to stop for; a general burn is not. Not medical advice.