How to Do Squats

Squats are a weight training exercise that involves lowering the body and raising it again, targeting the legs and core. Learn how to do squat exercises in this strength training video.

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Keep back straight & flexed
Keep knees over heels
Stick butt out to maintain safe posture
Look forward

About this Author

Tom Clifford has a degree in physical education, fitness and health from Eastern Michigan University, where he ran track and cross-country. Tom has worked as a personal trainer for two years. He also has a separate business where he coaches runners and triathletes for upcoming events. He currently works at Gold's Gym in Wilmington, North Carolina.

TOM CLIFFORD: Now, I'm going to demonstrate to you how to do squats. When I'm going to demonstrate this is I'm going to use a 20-pound barbell. Most people, that is not a lot of weight, but today, we're just going to use this for demonstration purposes. So, we're going to put the weight behind our neck. We will rest it on our traps, which is just below our neck and kind of resting it on our shoulders. Feet about just a little bit wider than shoulder-width apart. And what you want to feel in this is it's just like you're sitting down in your chair. So we're going to keep our back flexed. Do not let your back loose. You don't want to be slouched over when you're coming down with the squat. You want to really keep your back tight and flexed. As you're going down, you're going to pretend just like you're sitting in a chair, knees over heels, my knees are not over my toes. It's important to keep my knees over my heels, sticking my butt out and my back flexed, looking straight forward, chest and shoulders forward and straight up. All the way down, again, sitting in a chair, knees over heels, chest and shoulders forward, straight up. That's how you do squats. Some points to remember, again, keep your knees over your heels. Don't let your knees go over your toes. Keep your back flexed. Always keep your core tight and keep your hands loose and the weight right on your shoulder blades. Number of sets and reps, about three sets and the lower the amount of reps that you do, you would use heavier weight. The higher amount of reps you do, a little bit more of a muscular endurance are on 15 to 20 reps.

How to Do Squats Video

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