How to perfect squats, the most underrated exercise
Celebrities swear by them and they’re great for your overall health, but should you rise to the challenge of doing 100 squats a day?
Coleen Rooney does hers in the shower, Jennifer Lopez in her garden, Arnold Schwarzenegger at the gym, with such enthusiasm, he once said, “I do squats until I fall over and pass out.”
While I don’t go that far, this underrated exercise is integral to my own workouts. Squats are endlessly versatile and suitable for every age and exercise level, can be a high or low-impact exercise, and not only improve strength, but mobility and cardiovascular fitness too.
“Squats are without doubt the most effective compound exercise to build strength and burn calories, and a form of functional movement that makes everyday activities such as walking, getting out of the car and climbing stairs easier,” says the personal trainer Cornel Chin.
But 100 a day? That’s how many Cancer Research is challenging us to complete throughout the month of February as its charity fundraiser, describing it as a “tough, but doable” endeavour.
As children, we squat naturally — watch a toddler playing and they will often balance on their feet, back straight, backside lowered towards the floor — but with age we learn to bend over to reach the ground instead. Add sedentary lifestyles and squats can become significantly harder by middle age.
The decline isn’t inevitable, however. Chin cites a 92-year-old client who does two sets of 30 squats a week and still walks 8,000 to 15,000 steps a day. “Without squats she’d struggle,” he says. “I can tell if people squat by watching them sit and stand — those who squat lower themselves with a controlled movement, rather than crashing down with a sigh.”
Reason to practice if ever there was one. So what’s the best way to start? Here’s everything you need to know.
How do I get going?
First, warm up. “March on the spot for two minutes and rotate your hips to loosen joints,” Chin says. “If you’re using weights, make sure your neck and shoulders are mobile with arm swings.” Holding your arms by your side, raise one arm in front of you until it’s above your head and brushing your ear, then lower, and repeat on the other side.” Then stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides or clasped in front of your chest, toes pointing out slightly. Focusing your weight on your heels, lower your backside as far as you can, stopping when your thighs are parallel to the floor. “Imagine you’re about to sit down — putting a chair behind you to reach can help your technique. Use a cushion to elevate the seat if it’s too low,” Chin says. “Keep your chest high and back straight — we have a natural tendency to pitch forward. Take two seconds to lower and two seconds to raise back to starting position.” Inhale as you lower, exhale as you return. “Don’t worry if you can only lower yourself halfway at first — your strength and mobility will improve.”
What muscles am I working?
Squatting targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, glutes (buttocks) and hip flexors in the upper thigh — “all the major muscle groups, which means you’re burning more calories than if you were to isolate them with individual exercises”, Chin says. The movement also works our core muscles, “including the erector spinae muscles in our lower back, the transversus abdominis — the deep muscles that wrap around our trunk — and rectus abdominis, the top layer of abdominal muscles”. Squats improve posture: research in the Journal of Human Kinetics comparing the plank with weighted squats found the squats more effective in activating the muscles that support the lower back.
How do I avoid injury?
“Don’t round your shoulders — it puts pressure on your lower spine and risks pulling a back muscle,” Chin says. “Keep your abdominals tight to support your back and look straight ahead, rather than down, to relieve pressure on the lower back and top of your neck. Don’t lower more than 90 degrees — there’s no benefit and your knees will take the pressure, increasing the chance of knee pain. Make sure your knees don’t extend beyond your toes or drift towards each other as you squat. This is the biggest mistake beginners make and risks ligament damage and tendonitis, when the tendons connecting the kneecap to the shin bone become inflamed. If you feel any pain, stop.”
Is doing 100 a day necessary?
In a word, no — nor is it advisable if you’re a beginner. “Most regular exercisers could do 100 unweighted squats in one go, especially if they cycle, which mimics the deep knee bends involved,” Chin says. Cancer Research suggests spreading our squats throughout the day, “but for the elderly or sedentary attempting 100, even that will put too much pressure on the heart and joints”. He suggests two sets of ten, with a 20-second break in between for beginners, adding an additional set of ten every few days. “After a fortnight you should be able to do 50 in one session, and most people should be able to make it to 100 by the end of the month.” Rooney, 38, incidentally, does 126 “before the kids get up”. She said: “Every morning when I’m in the shower I do squats, and that is my thing … I do 21, 21, 21 of different ones and then I’ll do 63 pulses.”
Squats are easy. How can I up the ante?
Positioning your legs a couple of inches wider will work your inner thigh muscles more, if that appeals, while standing with the balls of your feet on the ground and heels raised on a surface an inch from the ground — a weighted disc, for example — increases the pressure on leg muscles, Chin says, as does incorporating a Swiss ball in your squat. “Put the ball against a wall and stand with your back against the ball,” Chin says. “As you lower your glutes to the floor the ball, which has a non-slip surface, will roll with you. We have a tendency to lean forward when we squat, but the ball requires keeping your back completely straight, which isolates the leg muscles, making it more difficult.”
Still not hard enough?
Incorporate weights. I use a weighted barbell at home, which allows me to add weight — it’s presently 22.5kg. “The bar should rest on the trapezius muscles — the fleshy area across your shoulders,” Chin says. It must be light enough to lift from the floor and above your head. “Your hands should hold the bar so your biceps and forearms form a right angle, palms facing forward. Just use the barbell [on its own] at first to get used to the movement. Within six months of regular training, beginners should be able to squat around 10kg.” Over 50kg, he says, and most of us will need to use a squat rack — a frame that holds barbells at height — in the gym because the weight will be too great to raise over our shoulders.
Can I use dumbbells instead?
Absolutely, Chin says. “You can either hold one heavier weight or kettlebell in front of you at chest height — known as a ‘goblet squat’ — or a lighter weight in each hand.” More space effective still are resistance band squats. “You can buy packs of different strength bands, from 4kg to 22kg, and add multiple bands together.” With feet hip-width apart place the resistance band under the ball of each foot, one handle in each hand. “Curl the band to your shoulders and turn your fists forwards so your palms face inwards and the band [is] behind your upper arms. Then start to squat. I use these all the time with clients.”
How many squats should I do with weights?
It depends on what you’re hoping to achieve. Every two to three days I do 120 — three sets of 20 full squats and 20 with an up-and-down “pulse” (raising and lowering 5cm at the bottom of the movement) — which feels challenging and takes about three minutes. For building muscle mass, though, Chin advises fewer repetitions using heavier weights. “Try three sets of 15 — the last two repetitions in each set should feel almost impossible,” he says. “Don’t do weighted squats every day: you need to allow 48 hours in between to allow the muscle time to repair.”
What are split squats?
For increased balance and “accelerated strength”, split squats, a form of unilateral training where one leg works harder than the other, are a great way of evening out muscles — when we train the whole body at once we automatically focus on the stronger side. Stand with feet pointing forward, hip-width apart, arms by your sides. Step forward with your right foot so both legs are bent at a 90-degree angle and your front thigh is parallel to the floor. Squeeze your buttocks as you return to the starting position. Jennifer Lopez, who is 55, described weighted split squats as part of her “daily dose of wellness” in an Instagram post last year. I do 30, followed by 20 squat pulses, holding a 10kg weight in each hand, and repeat on the other side. Or try pistol squats. Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointed out, right hand holding a chair lightly for balance if necessary. Raise your left leg a few inches off the ground and squat with your right leg. Repeat on the other side. “Most people can’t lower more than 60 degrees,” Chin says.
And the killer version?
Bulgarian split squats. Stand two feet in front of a chair, feet hip-width apart, pick up your left foot and place your left ankle on the edge of the chair behind you. Bend your right knee, lowering your right leg until it’s parallel to the floor, chest up, looking straight ahead, and return. Repeat on the other side. Having your back foot on the chair is purely for balance. “This isn’t for the faint-hearted,” Chin says. Especially if, like the actress Kate Upton, who was pictured on Instagram doing what her trainer Ben Bruno described as “the most hated exercise in existence”, you’re holding an 11kg kettlebell in each hand.
How can I make squats high impact?
With squat jumps — a plyometric movement that requires the rapid expansion of a muscle, using speed and force. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing out. Squat as low as you can with elbows bent, hands in front of your chest. Jump up as high as you can, pushing your arms down. Return to the start position. “Start with ten. You’re improving your athleticism, agility, bone density and muscle power,” Chin says. A study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine found that squat jumps three times a week improved sprint time and explosive strength. These are my favourite because, burning lungs aside, they make me feel childlike and free. I do 25 at the end of my workout.
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