Bodyweight squat: how to do it
Main muscles: Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus. Helpers: Hip adductors (inner thigh). Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Bodyweight
Reps
15–25
Rest
60 s
Muscle group
Legs
How to do it
- Feet at shoulder width, toes turned out a little, arms in front of you.
- Lower until the thighs are parallel to the floor or below, back flat.
- Stand up through the heels and do not lock the knees at the top.
Common mistakes
Knees caving in, heels coming up, rounding the back at the bottom.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
- Secondary
- Hip adductors (inner thigh)
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Programs that use it
- Home, 3 days3 × 15–25
Alternatives: similar exercises
Back squat
Barbell · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Goblet squat
Dumbbells · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Leg press
Machine · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
Front squat
Barbell · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
Hack squat
Machine · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop)
Lunges
Dumbbells · Rectus femoris, Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus, Gluteus medius
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
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