A squat is one of the best all-around lower-body exercises. It trains your legs, glutes, and core while also teaching balance and control.
If you’re learning how to do a squat, focus first on clean bodyweight form. A good squat looks smooth, stable, and pain-free—not rushed or overly deep.
1) Set up your squat stance
Stand tall with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes slightly out if that feels natural, and keep your weight spread across your whole foot.
Before you start, brace your core as if you’re preparing for a light punch. Keep your chest up, ribs stacked over your pelvis, and eyes forward. Let your arms extend in front of you for balance if needed.
2) Lower yourself with control
Push your hips back first, then bend your knees to sit down between your legs. Think of lowering into a chair, but keep your heels planted.
Descend until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor if your mobility allows. Go only as low as you can while keeping your back neutral, knees tracking over your toes, and feet flat.
3) Drive back up to standing
From the bottom position, press through your whole foot to stand up. Drive the floor away and keep your chest from collapsing forward.
Finish by squeezing your glutes at the top without leaning back or overextending your lower back. Reset your stance before each rep if you’re practicing slowly.
4) Fix the most common squat mistakes
Common mistakes include letting your heels lift, knees cave inward, chest drop too far forward, or rounding the lower back. These usually mean the squat is too fast, too deep, or too heavy for your current control.
If your knees collapse inward, think about gently pushing them out in line with your toes. If your heels rise, shorten the depth a bit and work on ankle mobility. If your back rounds, reduce depth and keep your torso more upright.
Tips
- Use a chair or box behind you for a beginner-friendly target.
- Slow down the lowering phase to improve control and balance.
- Film yourself from the side to check depth, back position, and heel contact.
- If you feel pain in the knees, hips, or back, stop and reassess your form or range of motion.
- Fitnit can help you check squat form with AI-powered analysis and count reps automatically from your phone camera.
Sources
- Strength training builds more than muscles — Harvard Health Publishing
- Exercise Library — ACE Fitness
- PubMed — National Library of Medicine
Frequently Asked Questions
How deep should a squat be?
Go as low as you can while keeping your heels down, chest stable, and back neutral. Parallel is a good goal for many people, but perfect depth varies by mobility.
Should my knees go over my toes?
A slight forward knee travel is normal in a squat. The bigger goal is keeping your knees tracking in line with your toes instead of collapsing inward.
How many squats should a beginner do?
Start with a comfortable number, such as 2–3 sets of 8–12 slow bodyweight reps, and increase only when your form stays solid.
Why do I lose balance in squats?
Balance issues often come from a stance that is too narrow, lifting the heels, or dropping the chest. Widening your stance slightly and slowing down usually helps.
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