Bodyweight squat
Also called: air squat, free squat
A squat with no weight. Learn the movement, then add load.
Bottom: quads, glutes working.
Main: quads, glutes
Simplified illustration. Follow the steps and cues for exact form.
- Main muscles
- quads, glutes
- Equipment
- None
- Level
- First day in a gym
- Pattern
- Squat
Wear and bring
- Flat, firm shoes (or bare feet on a clean floor). Thick, soft running soles make you wobble.
Key cues
- Arms straight out in front for balance.
- Sit between your heels.
- Whole foot stays on the floor.
How to do it
- Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out a little.
- Reach your arms forward and sit down as low as you can with a flat back.
- Push through your whole foot to stand up.
Common mistakes
| Common mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Heels come up | Widen your stance slightly and sit back more. |
Stop if
Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain in your knees or hips, numbness or tingling, or pain that gets worse with each rep. Burning in the working muscles, heavy breathing and shaky last reps are normal effort.
Related: knee pain.
By equipment
No equipment needed, so this works the same with every setup.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Reps | Sets | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–6 | 3–5 | 2–5 min |
| Muscle | 6–15 | 3–4 | 1–2 min |
| Fat loss | 8–15 | 2–4 | 1–1½ min |
| General health | 8–12 | 1–3 | 1–2 min |
Where these come from: Goals. In a program, follow the program's numbers.
General information, not medical advice. If you have an injury, a health condition or are pregnant, check with a doctor or physical therapist before starting.