Bodyweight Squat
The squat with no load — the place to learn the movement, and a solid leg exercise at home for higher reps.
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Muscles worked
Also works
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
- Tempo
- Lower 2 s · Lift 1 s
How to do the bodyweight squat
- 1Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes turned slightly out.
- 2Reach your arms forward for balance as you sit down between your heels.
- 3Go as deep as you can with your heels down and your back flat — ideally thighs below parallel.
- 4Drive through your whole foot to stand back up.
When to pick it: Pick it to learn squatting or for home leg days; slow the lowering to three seconds or add a pause at the bottom to make it harder.
Form cues
- Knees track over the toes
- Chest up, arms forward
- Heels stay down
Common mistakes
- Knees caving inward
- Heels lifting
- Only going a quarter of the way down
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time. Get a full 4–12 week program →
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These train the same muscles with different equipment.
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General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a health condition.