Lower Body Workouts Squat Variations for the Buns, Hips, and Thighs By Paige Waehner, CPT Paige Waehner, CPT Facebook LinkedIn Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer"; and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." Learn about our editorial process Updated on March 06, 2020 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Tara Laferrara, CPT Reviewed by Tara Laferrara, CPT Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Learn about our Review Board Print Squats are one of the best lower body exercises you can do. Why? One reason is that squats are a multi-joint, compound exercise that targets all the major muscles of the lower body, including the hips, glutes, and thighs. Start with the basic squat and then try out the other squat variations to hit different areas and keep your workouts fresh and challenging. How Much Should I Squat? The Basic Squat 0:26 Watch Now: How to Do a Squat With Perfect Form The basic squat, which requires no weights or equipment (other than a chair, if desired) is great for beginners, for anyone with knee problems or for those who are overweight and need a bit more support. It's also great for anyone wanting to add more functionality into their lives because it mimics the movements we do each time we sit down or stand up. If using a chair, place it just behind you and stand in front of it with feet about hip- or shoulder-width apart. Contract the abs and keep them tight as you bend the knees and slowly squat towards the chair. Send the hips back while keeping the head up and the torso straight. You can extend the arms if that helps with balance. Pause here (or sit briefly on the chair) and then contract the glutes to lift up out of the chair and begin extending the legs. Fully extend the legs until you're back to standing position, but don't lock the knees. Repeat this for 1–3 sets of 10–16 repetitions. If using a chair, progress to a more challenging variation by squatting until you're just hovering over the chair but not sitting all the way down. You can also hold weights for added intensity. Make sure you send the hips back to avoid knee pain. Squat With One Dumbbell Klaus Vedfelt / Getty Images Once you're able to do more than 16 chair squats, it's time to progress and add some challenge to your squats. One option is to hold a dumbbell (or a kettlebell as pictured here) as you squat, which is a great way to add intensity without putting any extra load on the spine (as in barbell squats below). Here's how to do it: Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.Hold a medium-heavy dumbbell in front of your body with arms straight and elbows slightly bent.Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles or before you lose the natural arch of your back.Contract the glutes and legs while stabilizing your body with a strong torso.Slowly stand back up without locking the knees and repeat for 1–3 sets of 10–16 repetitions. How to Do a Dumbbell Shoulder Squat: Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes Squat With Dumbbells Verywell / Ben Goldstein Another version of the dumbbell squat involves holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at chest height. Holding the weight in this position builds muscles in the glutes, hips, thighs, and core but adds a slight upper body challenge. Here's how to do it: Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.Hold a medium to heavy dumbbell or a kettlebell in front of the chest. Keep the shoulders and neck relaxed.Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles or before you lose the natural arch of your back.At the bottom of the movement, make sure you take your hips back, as though you're about to sit in a chair. Avoid bending the knees so that they go forward.Contract the glutes and legs while stabilizing your body with a strong torso.Slowly stand back up without locking the knees and repeat for 1–3 sets of 10–16 repetitions. After 16 Hours of Testing in our Lab, These Are the Best Kettlebells Barbell Squat Peathegee Inc / Getty Images Barbell squats are a more intense version of squats, requiring more work from the largest muscles in the body, the glutes. Barbell squats are a great addition to a workout, provided you do them correctly. Adding weight to your shoulders puts much of that load onto your spine as well, so take care when adding weight onto the shoulders. Here's how to do it: Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.Place the barbell just above the shoulders on the trapezius muscles (i.e., the "meaty" part of the shoulders).Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Stop when your knees are at 90-degree angles or before you lose the natural arch of your back.Contract the glutes and legs while stabilizing your body with a strong torso.Slowly stand back up without locking the knees and repeat for 1–3 sets of 10–16 repetitions. Take care when doing this exercise for the first time. Start with a light weight you can easily handle and practice getting your form perfect before moving on to heavier barbells. Sumo Squat or Wide Squat Verywell / Ben Goldstein The sumo squat or wide squat involves a variation on foot placement that helps target your leg muscles in different ways. In a sumo squat, for example, you incorporate a bit more inner thigh than in traditional squats. This can be a nice variation to add to your routine if you need a new challenge. Just take care when lowering down and only go as far as your flexibility will allow. Here's how: Begin in a wide stance with toes out at a comfortable angle. Your knees will need to stay aligned with your toes, so don't go out too far.To add weight, you can hold dumbbells on the upper thighs, a single dumbbell in front, or a barbell on the shoulders or behind the head.Bend the knees and lower down into a squat, keeping knees in line with toes, abs contracted, and back straight.Only go down as low as you can without compromising your flexibility or your balance.Push back to start without locking the knees.Repeat for 1–3 sets of 10–16 reps. Front Barbell Squat Verywell / Ben Goldstein A front barbell squat is the same as other squat variations except for the placement of the weight. In a front squat, the barbell rests on the front of the shoulders, held in place by crossing the arms over the bar or with an underhand grip, as shown. Be aware, however, that this variation requires a lot of shoulder and wrist mobility and may not be appropriate for everyone. By moving the weight in front of you instead of behind you, you change your center of gravity and, thus, change the focus of the exercise to the quads. Because of how you're holding the weight, you'll need to use a lighter weight for this version than the traditional barbell squat. Here's how to do it: Stand with feet hip- or shoulder-width apart.Place the barbell on the front of the shoulders and cross the arms over the bar to hold it in place or use an underhand grip, just watch out for the wrists.Bend the knees and lower into a squat. Because of how you're holding the weight, your torso will remain vertical and you may not be able to squat down as low, so take care not to compromise your balance.Contract the glutes and legs, slowly stand back up without locking the knees and repeat for 1–3 sets of 10–16 repetitions. Wall Sits Verywell / Ben Goldstein The wall sit is a bit different from typical squats since you're holding a static or isometric position for a certain period of time, rather than working through an entire range of motion. This is a great exercise you can do anywhere without any equipment to help you build strength in the lower body while improving posture. Here's how to do it: Stand in front of a wall (about 2 feet in front of it) and lean against it.Slide down and walk the feet out until your knees are at about 90-degree angles (or as close as you can get) and hold, keeping the abs contracted, for 20–60 seconds.Come back to start and repeat, holding the squat at different angles to work the lower body in different ways.To add intensity, hold weights, squeeze a ball between the knees or do wall sits with leg lifts. One-Legged Squats RyanJLane / Getty Images The one-legged squat is an advanced exercise and one you should take care if doing it for the first time. Putting all your weight on one leg will really challenge your balance and stability while adding intensity to your exercise routine. This variation can be performed with an exercise ball for support when you first begin. Here's how to do it with a ball: Place an exercise ball behind your lower back against a wall and lean against it.Lift left foot off the ground slightly, moving the right foot closer to the middle to get your balance.Contract the muscles of the right leg and, keeping the left leg lifted, lower down into a squat (only as low as you can manage). You can rest your hands against the wall if you need to for added balance.Push back to start and repeat all reps on right leg before switching sides. Once you are comfortable performing the exercise with support, try moving away from the wall and performing one-legged squats without the ball. If you don't have a ball, there are other options For example, you can stand in front of a weight bench and perform a one-legged squat as if you are dropping into a seated position on the bench. You can also stand next to a wall and place your hand on it for balance while you perform squats on one leg. You can also use an upright body bar to remain steady while performing single-leg squats. Tips and Guidelines Use these guidelines to choose the best type of squat for your level of fitness and goals: If you're a beginner, start with the bodyweight squats and slowly move up to the weighted squats is the best way to go. If you're just trying to get strong and healthy or maybe lose weight, any type of squat will do. When you get good at it, you can start on the more advanced variations (front squats, barbell squats, and one-legged squats). Wherever you start, squatting is an excellent exercise that will work every part of your lower body. Tips for Squatting Safely Safety and proper form is essential to keep your body safe and healthy: Keep the knees in line with the toes.Keep the shoulders back, a natural arch in the lower back, and the head and neck in a neutral position throughout the exercise.Keep the weight over the ankles and keep the heels on the floor throughout the movement.Remember to send the hips back rather than the knees forward. 5 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Myer GD, Kushner AM, Brent JL, et al. The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Strength Cond J. 2014;36(6):4-27. doi:10.1519/SSC.0000000000000103 Neto WK, Soares EG, Vieira TL, et al. Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. J Sports Sci Med. 2020;19(1):195-203. Published 2020 Feb 24. Coratella G, Tornatore G, Caccavale F, Longo S, Esposito F, Cè E. The Activation of Gluteal, Thigh, and Lower Back Muscles in Different Squat Variations Performed by Competitive Bodybuilders: Implications for Resistance Training. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(2):772. doi:10.3390/ijerph18020772. Bautista D, Durke D, Cotter JA, Escobar KA, Schick EE. A Comparison of Muscle Activation Among the Front Squat, Overhead Squat, Back Extension and Plank. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020;13(1):714-722. Published 2020 May 1. American Council on Exercise. Improve Your Posture with These Isometric Exercises. By Paige Waehner, CPT Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer," and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." 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