
Muscle Groups
Muscles
Target
Synergist
How to perform Bodyweight Squat with proper form
Starting Position
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Toes should point slightly outward.
Execution
- Engage your core.
- Initiate the squat by bending at the hips and knees simultaneously.
- Keep your chest up and back straight throughout the movement.
- Lower your body as if sitting back into a chair, ensuring knees stay aligned with toes (not extending past them).
- Go down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, or lower if comfortable.
- Press through your heels to return to the starting position, straightening your legs.
Key Points
- Maintain a neutral spine and avoid rounding your back.
- Keep your weight centered over your feet.
- Look forward, not down, to help maintain posture.
- Breath in while lowering, and exhale while rising.
Common Mistakes
- Allowing knees to cave inward.
- Lifting heels off the ground.
- Rounding the back or leaning too far forward.
By following these guidelines, you can perform bodyweight squats effectively and safely.
Exercises

Calf Press on Leg Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Calf Press on Seated Leg Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves, Quadriceps
Synergist: Glutes, Hamstrings

Seated Calf Raise, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Seated Calf Raise, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Seated Calf Raise, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Standing Calf Raise, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Standing Calf Raise, Cable
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Standing Calf Raise, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Standing Calf Raise, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Standing Calf Raise, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Calves

Box Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves

Box Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves

Bulgarian Split Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves

Clean, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Push
Target: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Back, Shoulders
Synergist: Calves, Biceps, Chest, Forearms

Clean and Jerk, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Push
Target: Glutes, Hamstrings, Quadriceps, Back, Shoulders
Synergist: Calves, Biceps, Chest, Forearms

Deadlift, Barbell
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms

Deadlift, Cable
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms

Deadlift, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms

Deadlift, Smith Machine
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms

Deadlift, Band
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms
Deadlift, Kettlebell
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms
Deadlift, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back, Hamstrings
Synergist: Quadriceps, Calves, Abs, Forearms
Deadlift High Pull, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Shoulders, Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Biceps, Forearms, Calves, Back
Deficit Deadlift, Barbell
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes
Synergist: Hamstrings, Back, Quadriceps, Calves
Deficit Deadlift, Trap Bar
Type: Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes
Synergist: Hamstrings, Back, Quadriceps, Calves
Front Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Front Squat, Cable
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Front Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Front Squat, Smith Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Front Squat, Kettlebell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Goblet Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Goblet Squat, Kettlebell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Hack Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Hack Squat, Smith Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Jump Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Jump Squat, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Kettlebell Swing, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Core
Target: Shoulders, Glutes
Synergist: Hamstrings, Chest, Calves
Kettlebell Swing, Kettlebell
Type: Upper, Lower, Core
Target: Shoulders, Glutes
Synergist: Hamstrings, Chest, Calves
Leg Press, Smith Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Leg Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Lunge, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Lunge, Cable
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Lunge, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Lunge, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Lying Leg Curl, Band
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Hamstrings
Synergist: Calves
Lying Leg Curl, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Hamstrings
Synergist: Calves
Overhead Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
Overhead Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
Pistol Squat, Kettlebell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Pistol Squat, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Pistol Squat, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Reverse Lunge, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes
Reverse Lunge, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes
Reverse Lunge, Kettlebell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes
Reverse Lunge, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Glutes
Romanian Deadlift, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Back, Glutes, Hamstrings
Synergist: Abs, Calves
Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Back, Glutes, Hamstrings
Synergist: Abs, Calves
Safety Squat Bar Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Back, Calves
Seated Leg Curl, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Hamstrings
Synergist: Calves, Quadriceps
Seated Leg Press, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Snatch, Dumbbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Shoulders, Back, Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Chest, Triceps
Split Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Split Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Split Squat, Band
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Split Squat, Kettlebell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Split Squat, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Back, Abs
Squat, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Back, Abs
Squat, Smith Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Back, Abs
Squat, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Back, Abs
Squat, Leverage Machine
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves, Back, Abs
Squat Row, Band
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Glutes, Back
Synergist: Shoulders, Hamstrings, Chest, Quadriceps, Calves
Step up, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Step up, Dumbbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Step up, Band
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Step up, Bodyweight
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Sumo Deadlift High Pull, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Pull
Target: Shoulders, Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Biceps, Forearms, Calves, Back
Thruster, Barbell
Type: Upper, Lower, Push
Target: Shoulders, Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Chest, Calves, Triceps
Trap Bar Deadlift, Trap Bar
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves
Zercher Squat, Barbell
Type: Lower, Legs
Target: Glutes, Quadriceps
Synergist: Hamstrings, Calves