Bodyweight Squat

What is Bodyweight Squat:

The Bodyweight Squat, also known as Air Squat or simply squat, is a fundamental lower-body exercise that primarily works the quadriceps and glutes. It involves lowering your hips from a standing position and returning to a standing position through hip and knee movements, without using external weights, unlike its weighted counterpart.

Key Benefits:

  • Quadriceps and Gluteal Growth: This exercise strengthens and builds the quads and glutes, resulting in a stronger and bigger lower body.
  • Lower Body Mobility: Enhances hip, knee, and ankle mobility, contributing to better movement performance in daily activities and sports.
  • Lower Back Support: Activates and strengthens the core muscles, especially the spinal erectors, to maintain balance and stability throughout the movement.
  • Versatile and Scalable: This can be performed with or without added resistance, making it adaptable for all fitness levels.

Variations:

  • Cossack Squat: A squat variation intended for developing the hip adductors or the inner thigh, performed by being in a wide stance, then lowering down on one side at a time.
  • Pistol Squat: A single-leg squat variation performed by squatting on one leg while keeping the other leg fully extended and flexed at the hips.
  • Dragon Squat: A single-leg squat variation performed by squatting on one leg while moving the other leg behind the working leg at the lowering phase of the movement without it touching the ground.
  • Weighted Squat: A weighted squat variation performed using a different form of added resistance, like different freeweights and machines.
  • Narrow Stance: A bit more quads, less glutes, and hip adductors, especially if you only go as far as around 90 degrees of knee flexion.
  • Shoulder-width Stance: A somewhat more balanced activation of quads, glutes, and hip adductors. A good default stance for most people, especially those new to squatting.
  • Wide Stance (Current): A bit more glutes, hip adductors, and somewhat less quads. Useful for developing hip strength and explosiveness but may be more challenging for beginners or those with limited hip mobility. It can also be helpful for people with longer femurs or shorter torsos to start with, as it allows for a more upright torso position during the squat, especially when done with freeweights.

How to perform Bodyweight Squat:

  • Starting Position: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and core engaged.
  • Execution: Begin the movement by bending at the hips and knees, lowering your body until just around or a little below 90 degrees or as low as your mobility allows. Hold the bottom position briefly, then return to the starting position by simultaneously extending both the hips and legs.
  • Repetition: Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Inhale: Inhale at the starting position or as you lower your body into the squat.
  • Exhale: Exhale at the starting position or the end of the concentric phase.
  • Unnecessary Feet Movement: Avoid any overcompensation or movement of your feet and keep them in place.
  • Knees Alignment: While knees caving in is quite normal due to some overcompensations or lack of mobility, usually when the intensity is so high, like in weighted squats, try to keep your knees going in the same direction your feet are facing.
  • Depth and Lower Back Rounding: The deeper you go, the better it is for your glutes, mobility, and spinal erectors. Do not be afraid to go as low as you can and round your lower back because this is just a bodyweight exercise. You are not holding an extra resistance heavy enough with your upper body to pose any unnecessary and overwhelming pressure on your lower back.
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    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Focusing only on the Concentric or Eccentric phase
    • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
    • Holding onto something for support
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Playing with the Tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
    • Increasing the Range of Motion - going down as far as possible. Unless you're doing it weighted, it's also better for your lower back and knee joints health and mobility.
    • Adding resistance - wearing a weighted vest, or using a dumbbell/barbell
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise