How do I squat with correct form?

A squat is a hinge and a bend happening together. The two things that go wrong are the heels lifting, which throws the load onto the knees, and the knees collapsing inwards, which is usually weak hips rather than bad intention.

Safety

What you'll need

• A chair for the regression (optional)
• Clear floor space (optional)

Step by step

1. Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out.Somewhere between straight ahead and 30 degrees out. There is no single correct stance — hip anatomy varies considerably between people.
2. Brace your middle before you move.The same brace as a plank. It protects the lower back and it is what keeps the chest from dropping as you descend.
3. Initiate by sitting back, not by bending the knees first.Imagine reaching for a chair just behind you. Leading with the knees pushes them forward over the toes and loads the joint.
4. Keep your heels on the floor throughout.If they lift, that is usually ankle mobility. Squat to a box, or put a small plate under the heels, while you work on it.
5. Track the knees over the direction of your toes.Knees collapsing inwards is the most common fault and usually means weak glutes. Consciously pushing them out fixes it in the moment.
6. Go as deep as you can while keeping the line.Thighs parallel to the floor is a good target. Depth is worth having but not at the cost of the lower back rounding at the bottom.
7. Drive up through the middle of the foot.Not the toes. Think about pushing the floor away rather than standing up, which keeps the hips and knees rising together.
8. Use a chair as a regression and a depth gauge.Squat until you lightly touch a chair, then stand. It teaches the sit-back pattern and gives consistent depth.

Tips

• Heels lifting is nearly always ankle mobility rather than technique. Calf stretching and squatting to a box both help while it improves.
• There is no universal foot position. Experiment with width and toe angle — comfortable depth without pain is the goal, not a diagram.
• Bodyweight squats are a genuine exercise. There is no need to add weight until you can do sets of fifteen with a clean line.

Common mistakes

• Letting the knees collapse inwards — It puts the knee joint in a poor position and usually indicates weak glutes. Consciously pushing the knees out corrects it.
• Rising with the hips first — It turns the squat into a back exercise and loads the lower spine. Hips and chest should rise together.
• Forcing depth at the cost of the lower back rounding — Rounding at the bottom under load is where back injuries come from. Stop at the depth you can hold the line.

Questions people ask