Quadriceps, Glutes

Bodyweight Squats

The bodyweight squat is probably the most well-known fitness exercise in the world. It strengthens your legs and glutes. However, it is not as easy to perform as it looks. Many still think that it's bad to push the knees beyond the toes. This myth has long been debunked. Much more important is that you perform the movement slowly and controlled, gradually increasing it. If you can perform 20-30 bodyweight squats, then goblet squats, barbell squats, or assisted single-leg squats could be a great progression.

Bodyweight Squats - the correct execution

  • Start in shoulder widths
  • Turn your feet to the outside in the ground, so your knees straighten out
  • Build actively tension in the buttocks
  • Bend your knees and sink your body as low as possible
  • Relocate your body weight throughout the foot

The exercise Squats is intended to be used as a hypertrophy exercise.

Which muscles are trained by Squats?

Primary trained muscles for Squats

  • Quadriceps - The quadriceps femoris is the large muscle at the front of your thigh. It extends your knee.

  • Glutes - The gluteus maximus is the large muscle in your buttocks. It is important for extending the hip, moving your leg backward, and stabilizing the hip joint.

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Alternative variants of Bodyweight Squats:

Assisted Squats

Assisted squats are a variation of squats where support is used to make the movement easier or to improve form. This variation is often used by beginners to learn the correct technique or by individuals recovering from an injury.

Necessary equipment

Assisted Squats - the correct execution

  • Start in shoulder widths
  • Turn your feet to the outside in the ground, so your knees straighten out
  • Build actively tension in the buttocks
  • Grip the rings with bowed arms
  • Bend your knees and sink your body as low as possible
  • Route at the same time with the squat your arms
  • Relocate your body weight to the whole foot
  • Support the way up with a rowing movement on the rings

Similar exercises to Squats

Glutes, Calves, Quadriceps

Jumping Lunges

Jumping lunges are a dynamic variation of the classic lunge, in which a jump is performed between switching legs. Similar to jump squats, this exercise trains the entire leg and glute muscles while simultaneously promoting coordination and balance. The inclusion of jumps also increases the heart rate and strengthens the cardiovascular system. Jumping lunges are particularly well-suited for HIIT workouts or as an addition to strength training sessions.

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