Squat form guide

The 3 most common mistakes

• 01

  Knees caving in as you stand up.

  The knees collapse toward each other on the drive up. Drains force and stresses the joint.

• 02

  Heels lifting off the floor at the bottom.

  Usually a sign of tight ankles or sitting too far forward. The bar gets unstable and the weight shifts to the toes.

• 03

  Hips shoot up first, chest folds down.

  Turns the squat into a half-deadlift. Punishes the lower back and shortchanges the quads.

The 3 cues that fix most of them

• 01

  Push the floor away.

  Think of the squat as pushing the floor down, not standing the bar up. Drives leg engagement.

• 02

  Knees out, in line with toes.

  Track your knees over your feet from the bottom of the squat all the way up. Stops the cave.

• 03

  Big breath in, brace, then descend.

  Breathe into your belly, lock the brace, and only then move. The brace is what protects your spine.

Step by step setup

1. 01Set the bar in the rack at about mid-chest height. Step under it and place it on your traps (high bar) or just below them on your rear delts (low bar).
2. 02Grip the bar evenly. Bring your elbows under to lock the bar onto your back.
3. 03Stand up to unrack. Take one or two steps back. No more.
4. 04Set feet shoulder-width with toes turned out 15–30 degrees, whichever feels strongest.
5. 05Take a big breath into your belly and brace your core like you're about to be punched in the stomach.
6. 06Sit hips down and back, knees tracking over your toes, until your hip crease drops to or just below the top of your knee.
7. 07Drive the floor away — hips and shoulders rise together. Stand fully upright before re-racking.

Muscles worked

Primary

Quadriceps, Glutes

Secondary

Hamstrings, Spinal erectors, Adductors, Core

Beginner tips

• Goblet squats first — own the pattern with a dumbbell at chest height before adding a barbell.
• If your heels lift, try shoes with a raised heel (squat or weightlifting shoes). Tight ankles are usually the culprit.
• Film yourself from the side every couple of weeks. The camera tells the truth faster than how the lift feels.

Sources

1. The biomechanics of the squat exercise — Schoenfeld BJ.. Strength and Conditioning Journal (2010).