February Exercise of the Month: Bodyweight Squats
Squats are one of the most fundamental movement patterns we use every day – sitting down, standing up, picking things up, and moving with strength and confidence.
Exercise of the Month returns with Bodyweight Squats, a simple but powerful exercise that builds lower-body strength, improves mobility, and supports healthy movement for daily life and training.
How to Perform the Bodyweight Squat
Starting Position:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep chest tall and eyes forward. Arms can be outreached to help with balance, or they can be placed crossed on the chest.
Maintain Position
Take a breath in, keep your core tight and push hips back as if you’re about to sit in a chair.
Lower with Control:
Hold your breath, bend knees, and lower yourself so that you are parallel to the floor or to a depth that is comfortable. Keep evenly distributed through your feet.
Push with Intent
As you begin to exhale, push through your feet and stand back up to starting position.
Repeat:
Aim for 10-15 reps for 2–4 sets, depending on your strength level and goals. Move with control and breathe steadily throughout.
Variations
For advanced lifters, you can include weight by either holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of the chest, with elbows tucked in.
For even more weight you can put a barbell on your back to perform a back squat. The barbell would rest just below your traps and on top of your shoulders, squeezed together.
Alternatively, you can also perform a front squat by placing the bar on your shoulders in front of you, across your chest. Arms can then cross and hold the bar against your shoulders.
The movement itself remains the same, just with weight to increase difficulty in the exercise.
Benefits of This Exercise
Bodyweight squats help to:
- Strengthen the quads (front part of your thigh), glutes, and hamstrings (back part of your thigh)
- Improve hip, knee and ankle mobility
- Support joint health and balance
- Build confidence in everyday movement
Try It Today!
Feel free to follow these steps to help you get started!
Still not sure how to do the exercise? Head over to our Instagram for a video tutorial!
You can also seek help through our Time with a Trainer service, and we can show you how to perform this exercise in person. Just contact Henry!