Squats daily will help you mentally and will even give you better yearly check-ups with your primary physician.”
Some fitness experts recommend the squat as the one exercise people should do every day.
These drills also create an anabolic environment, which promotes body-wide muscle building, improving muscle mass.
The squats also activate your glutes and back muscles. Remember to upgrade them as soon as they start to feel comfortable.
Types of Squats
Body Weight Squats
This is just a regular squat with zero exercise equipment. There are no dumbbells, barbells, or kettle-bells involved.
Just get into basic squat form, feet hip-width apart, feet slightly pointed out, squat down to where your knees reach a 90-degree angle and then try to maintain the weight through your heels as you push yourself back up to start.
Remember to not lean forward and to maintain a flat back throughout the exercise. Your knees should never track over your toes.
Plie (Sumo) Squats
In this squat, your feet need to be wider than hip-width apart with your feet angled significantly outward.
Same rules of a regular squat apply to this one. Remember to push through your heels as this will keep the focus in your glutes!
Be sure to keep your back in line. For Plie squats, your knees will be pointed outward.
This is going to target your inner thighs and give your booty a lift. If you need to make it more difficult, grab some weights or a kettle-bell!
Pulse Squats
Get into basic squat form and once you reach the bottom of the squat, instead of coming all the way back up only come halfway up, and then lower back down into the squat.
Repeat this multiple times to “pulse”. You will really feel the burn with this one!
Plyometric Squats
This type of squat will really get your heart rate up.
You use the same rule of form as a bodyweight squat, but instead, when you get to the bottom of the squat, you are going to explode up and land softly on your toes.
Try to control each movement from start to finish for the duration of the exercise.
Single Leg Squats
This type of squat is done on one leg. You’re going to lift your left leg either behind you or keep it as straight as possible in front of you while you squat down on your right leg.
If you’re just beginning, you can hold on to something or use a chair to learn the movement.
Goblet Squats
This squat is done in more of a Plie form with feet wider than hip-width apart and feet angled slightly outward.
You can use a kettle-bell or one big heavy dumbbell. Hold the kettlebell or the head of the dumbbell at chest level.
Slowly sink down into the squat as you thrust your weight back up through your heels.
Barbell Back Squats
This type of squat is a pretty advanced exercise that needs to be done in the gym. Put the barbell on your shoulders, mostly laying on your trapezius muscle or the “traps”.
Keep your chest out and your head up. This squat is done with normal squat form, but the reason it is more advanced is that it allows you to add a lot of weight.
Keep in mind that heavier weight will make you more shapely as well as stronger!
Challenge Yourself: Perform 50-100 Squats each day! You can do them all at once or break it up throughout the day! Pick a different type to perform every day!
