To do a bodyweight squat correctly, stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly, then sit your hips back and down while your knees travel in the same direction as your toes. Keep your whole foot on the floor and your chest proud, go as low as you can while your back stays neutral, and stand up by pushing the floor away. That is the whole movement; the details below are what make it feel strong and comfortable instead of awkward.

The squat is one of the most useful exercises you can learn. It trains your thighs, glutes and core, and it is the same pattern you use every time you sit down on a chair or pick something up from a low shelf.

Step-by-step squat form

  1. Set your stance. Feet roughly shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards, somewhere between 5 and 30 degrees depending on what feels natural for your hips.
  2. Brace. Take a breath into your belly and tighten your stomach muscles gently, as if bracing for a light poke. Let your arms reach forward or clasp your hands at your chest for balance.
  3. Start the descent. Bend at your hips and knees at the same time. Think "sit down between your heels" rather than "sit back as far as possible".
  4. Track your knees. Let your knees move forward and out so they stay roughly in line with your second and third toes. It is normal and fine for them to travel past your toes a little.
  5. Find your depth. Lower until your thighs are about parallel to the floor, or as deep as you can go while your heels stay down and your lower back does not round.
  6. Drive up. Push through your whole foot, keep your chest up and stand tall, squeezing your glutes at the top. Breathe out as you rise.

Aim for a smooth tempo: about two seconds down, a brief pause, one to two seconds up.

How deep should you squat?

There is no single "correct" depth for everybody. Your hip shape, ankle mobility and leg length all affect how low you can comfortably go. A useful target for most people is thighs parallel to the floor or slightly lower. If you can sink deeper with a neutral back and heels on the ground, that is fine and trains more range.

What matters more than an exact number is control. If your heels lift, your knees cave inwards, or your lower back rounds sharply at the bottom (the so-called "butt wink"), stop just above that point and work on depth gradually.

Common squat mistakes and how to fix them

Knees caving inwards

When the knees collapse towards each other, especially on the way up, the hips and knees share the load badly. Fix: think "spread the floor apart with your feet" and push your knees out over your toes. Glute bridges and side-lying leg raises help strengthen the muscles that control this; see the glute bridge guide.

Heels lifting

This usually points to tight ankles or a stance that is too narrow. Fix: widen your stance slightly, turn your toes out a little more, and let your knees travel forward. A small book or folded towel under your heels is a temporary help while you work on ankle mobility.

Leaning too far forward

Some forward lean is normal, but if your chest drops towards your knees, the load shifts onto your lower back. Fix: hold your arms straight in front of you as a counterweight, keep your eyes forward, and practise goblet-style squats holding a water bottle or backpack at your chest.

Only bending at the knees

If your hips stay put and only your knees bend, your knees end up doing most of the work. Fix: start each rep by sending your hips back and down together with the knees.

Rushing the reps

Fast, bouncy reps hide weak spots. Slow down, especially on the way down, and own every position.

Holding your breath for the whole set

A short brace during each rep is good. Holding your breath for ten reps is not. Breathe in at the top, brace on the way down, breathe out as you stand.

Easier versions (regressions)

  • Box squat: squat down to a chair or sofa, touch it lightly with your glutes, and stand back up without rocking. Lower the seat over time.
  • Assisted squat: hold a door frame, a sturdy table or the back of a chair and use your arms to help on the way up.
  • Partial squat: go only as deep as you can control, and gain a few centimetres each week.
  • Wall sit: slide down a wall until your knees are bent, and hold for 15-30 seconds to build strength without movement.

Harder versions (progressions)

  • Tempo squat: take 3-4 seconds to lower, pause for 2 seconds at the bottom, then stand.
  • Pause squat: hold the bottom position for 3-5 seconds on every rep.
  • Split squat or lunges: one leg does most of the work, which dramatically raises the challenge. Our lunges guide explains the variations.
  • Jump squat: explode upwards and land softly back into the squat. Add this only once regular squats feel easy and your knees are happy.
  • Bulgarian split squat: rear foot on a chair or sofa, front leg does the squat. One of the toughest no-equipment leg exercises.

Sets, reps and how often

For beginners, 3 sets of 10-15 squats with 60-90 seconds of rest, 2-3 times a week, is a solid start. When you can do 3 sets of 20 with perfect form, make the exercise harder rather than simply adding more reps: slow the tempo, add pauses, or move to a single-leg variation.

Squats fit naturally into a complete leg workout at home or a full-body session. If you are brand new, a short routine such as our home workout for beginners will introduce squats alongside push, pull and core work.

Who should be careful

Mild muscle effort and some soreness the next day are normal. Sharp pain in the knee, hip or back is not. If you have a knee or hip injury, recent surgery, or ongoing joint pain, start with box squats to a comfortable height and ask a physiotherapist or doctor for guidance. The same applies if you are pregnant or have a health condition that affects exercise.

FAQ

Is it bad if my knees go past my toes when I squat?

No, not by itself. For most people, the knees naturally move in front of the toes during a deep squat, and trying to stop that usually makes you lean too far forward. What matters more is that your knees track in line with your toes and that the movement feels comfortable.

How many squats should I do a day?

You don't need to squat every day. Two or three sessions a week of 3 sets of 10-20 good-quality reps is enough to build strength for most beginners. Daily "squat challenges" with hundreds of reps tend to trade quality for quantity.

Do bodyweight squats build muscle?

Yes, especially for beginners. As you get stronger, you need harder variations such as tempo, pause and single-leg squats to keep progressing. FIThim's library includes the bodyweight squat and harder moves such as split jumps, each with real photos and a short animated demo.

Should I squat with feet wide or narrow?

Start around shoulder width and adjust. A wider stance often feels better for people with longer legs or stiffer ankles, and it involves the inner thighs a bit more. A narrower stance needs more ankle mobility. Pick the stance where you can reach good depth with heels down and knees tracking well.