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Are you frustrated by your weak leg strength even though you’re hitting the gym regularly? It’s common to struggle with exercises that effectively target your lower body. But fear not, because there are simple and effective squat variations that can help you achieve great results without any fancy equipment. As a certified trainer with experience in developing fitness programs, I’ve identified four squat variations that work multiple muscle groups simultaneously. These exercises not only engage your quads, hamstrings, and glutes but also activate your core and stabilizing muscles for comprehensive lower body development. If you’re eager to see improvements in your leg strength and definition, these four squat exercises are a game-changer.
Why Squats Are Good For You
The split squat is a fantastic exercise that targets different parts of your lower body all at once. By doing this exercise, you can strengthen your quads, hamstrings, and glutes simultaneously. Additionally, your lateral stabilizing muscles come into play to help you maintain balance, which is crucial for overall functional fitness.
Another great aspect of the split squat is that it requires balance and activates your core muscles. This means that besides working your legs, you’ll also be engaging your abs and the stabilizing muscles of your pelvis and spine.
Perfect Squat Form
- Make sure you are able to wiggle your toes in the front foot. That keeps the weight focused on the back of the foot and decreases pressure on the knee joint.
- For an added challenge, the back leg can be raised by either placing it on a low step or even a bench. This will require more range of motion through the back leg, ankle, knee and more eccentric strength of the quadriceps. This is known as the Bulgarian Spit Squat.
- Alignment, alignment, alignment. Being in the best position is key not just for benefiting from the movement but also for safety. Take time to always check in with your front knee alignment over the front foot. Ideally, you are looking for the knee to stay relatively over the front heel. Slight movement over your shoelaces is okay.
- Alignment of the front leg in relationship to the back leg: they should be parallel to each other and staggered enough that when the back knee bends, the knees are roughly 90/90 in relationship to each other. Alignment of the torso over the back leg is key to activating the core and the quadricep of the back leg. Alignment of the front knee in relationship to the ankle and foot. Alignment of the pelvis, it should be balanced and level as the legs bend, is key to activating the pelvic and spinal stabilizers.
- From the standing position with both feet directly under your hips take a big step forward. Your front knee should be over your heel and your back knee slightly behind your hips. PRO TIP: Check your hips and keep them relatively square. You may have to adjust the back leg in to make sure your hips donor twist outward.
- Bend both knees so that your body lowers and lifts in a straight line up and down. PRO TIP: You know you have taken a big enough step forward in your setup if your front knee stays relatively over your front heel as you lower and lift.
Modification #1: A full range of motion is not necessary to gain benefits from the split lunge. Small lowers and lifts still keep the muscles active! If you have sensitive knees you may want to decrease the range of motion and decrease the amount of time you spend on each leg.
Modification #2: If balance is a concern, use a wall or a chair for support while performing the exercise. Any support prop is a great way to learn the exercise and make sure you are in the correct position.
- Perform 8-10 repetitions (or set a timer for 30-40 seconds) before switching legs.
- To switch legs push off the front leg’s heel to return to the standing position.
- As you are performing the split lunge, place focus on the front. Let’s heel to lift. That will connect the hamstrings and gluteal muscles.
Comparing Squats to Other Leg Exercises
A split squat is a functional leg exercise that can be performed with just your body weight or with dumbbells. Split squats are routinely part of a strength training program, interval-based program, and/ or a boot camp program.
The split squat is a compound exercise that targets your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. While the split squat targets the same muscles as the regular squat, the staggered stance adds balance and functionally loads the pelvis with one leg forward and the other back, similar to walking, running, and cycling. Because this exercise targets powerful muscles of the legs and works the back quad eccentrically, it is an excellent way to increase power and strength quickly.
Variations of Squats for Targeting Specific Leg Muscles
Wall Squats. Find a supportive wall that is clear. Standing against the wall and walking your feet forward so you can slide your body down into a squat position. The upper body and hips are against the wall, and the legs are in a squat position with about 90 degrees of bend at the knees. Begin by holding for 30 seconds and do 3 sets. Build up to 60 seconds for each set.
Functional Squats. Stand with your knees and toes facing forward and legs under your hips. Squat as if you are going to sit on a chair that is behind you, hinging at your hips allowing your upper body to lean forward, bending the knees. Return to stand.
Complementary Exercises for Complete Lower Body Development
Pilates Mat and Equipment Classes: Fire up your core by working your muscles from the inside out! Looking to improve your strength training? Start with a solid Pilates class that emphasizes slow, controlled movements and perfect form. A great Pilates session will be a full-body experience, leaving you amazed at how you ever worked out without the insights you just gained!
Nico Gonzalez, ACE-CPT, ACE-GFI, NPCP, BBPI