Squats are one of the most effective full-body exercises you can do. As a powerful compound movement, they engage multiple muscles and joints at the same time, making them a cornerstone of strength and fitness training. In this article, you’ll discover exactly which muscles squats target, the key benefits they offer, the most common mistakes to avoid, and how to perform them with proper form.
What Muscles Do Squats Work?
- Gluteal Muscles (buttocks): These muscles are involved in the extension, abduction, and rotation of the hip joint. They also help keep the body erect and assist human locomotion (running, jumping, sprinting, etc).
- Quadriceps or Quads: This large muscle group is located on the front of the thigh, the front & sides of the femur. It’s composed of four muscles (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius). The origin of the name, quad, means four–hence quadricep (four-headed muscle). The quadriceps are knee extensors and hip flexors – essential for walking, running, jumping, and squatting. They also help to stabilize the patella and knee joints.
- Hamstrings: Located on the posterior thigh in between the hip and the knee, and are composed of three muscle groups (semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and biceps femoris – long and short heads). These muscles are antagonists to the quadriceps and are involved in hip and knee movements. They participate in the deceleration of knee extension and help flex the knee and extend the hips. They are essential for daily movement (walking), speed (running), and deceleration (stopping movement).
- Core Muscles: The erector spinae (a set of muscles that run vertically along the side of the vertebral column, originating at the hip and extending up to the skull, that help rotate and extend the spine and neck) and abs (muscles in the abdominal wall: rectus abdominis, obliques, transverse abdominis) make up the core muscles.
- Gastrocnemius: These are the superficial two-headed muscles that are in the posterior part of the lower leg, forming the calves. They flex the foot at the ankle joint and the leg at the knee joint. They are involved in fast movements such as running and jumping.
Benefits of Squats
- Fat Loss: Being that the squat is a compound exercise that engages multiple joints and muscle groups simultaneously, it helps you burn more calories and, subsequently, more fat.
- Growth Hormone Release: They increase growth hormone. This helps to keep you young and strong. It increases vitality, strength, protein synthesis, and metabolism.
- Strength: Squats help strengthen your legs, glutes, and core. This movement allows you to get stronger overall. You can increase your strength by using high volumes for 3, 5, or 8 reps.
- Aesthetics: Squats help sculpt a rounded booty and shapely legs.
- Core Strength: This movement tightens and strengthens your core (your lower back, abs, diaphragm, obliques, and pelvic floor muscles).
- Grip & Forearm Strength: If you do squats with dumbbells, you strengthen your forearms and grip as you have to hold a weight by your sides for long periods. This is useful in other exercises such as rows, pull-ups, snatches, and cleans.
- Endurance & Performance: This compound exercise can also translate into improved athletic performance and less muscle fatigue. You can increase muscular endurance by using lighter loads for 12-20 reps and 2-4 sets.
- Back Health & Posture: Squats strengthen your lower back and core, helping keep your back healthy. This helps to prevent injuries & back pain and to improve your posture.
- Flexibility & Mobility: They involve a big movement, making you more mobile to help prevent injuries/tightness.
- Back Health & Posture: Goblet squats strengthen your scapular stabilizers and core, helping keep your back healthy. This helps to prevent injuries & back pain and to improve your posture.
- Efficiency: This is a highly efficient exercise that works multiple muscles simultaneously. Plus, you can do them just with your body weight, or you can use a barbell, kettlebell, or a dumbbell.
How to Perform Squats Properly
- If you are a beginner, you can just use your body weight and keep your hands in front of you or by your sides. Or you can grab a set of dumbbells and put them by your sides, a kettlebell, or place a barbell on the back of your shoulders
- Position your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart and pointed outwards – about 15 degrees
- Stand with your chest lifted, back straight, shoulders back, core tight, and your head facing straight ahead throughout the squat
- As you descend, inhale and press your hips back and lower down
- Get your hips parallel to the floor or below
- Maintain your weight toward your heels—you shouldn’t put your weight on the ball of your feet
- Exhale as you rise and press through your heels to the starting position. Press your hips forward at the top of the squat to engage your glutes
- Repeat
Squats’ Mistakes
- Rounding your back and shoulders: Rounding your back can put improper pressure on your back. Keep your chest open and shoulders back to help maintain your back straight.
- Leaning forward from the waist: Leaning forward prevents you from keeping a neutral spine, throws you off balance, and puts your weight on your toes instead of your heels. Stand straight.
- Keeping your weight on the ball of your feet or toes: This pushes your knees and hips forward, preventing you from fully engaging the glutes. You should keep your weight on your heels.
- Allowing your knees to cave inward as you sink down (this is referred to as knee valgus): You avoid that by allowing your elbows to touch the inside of your knees at the bottom of the squat and engage your glutes. Your knees should be angled slightly outward instead of inward.
- Doing half squats: You should perform the squat’s full range of motion. Stopping the movement before hitting the full bottom of the position doesn’t allow you to reap the full benefits of the exercise.
Squat Video
Leg Workout
You can complete your lower body workout by incorporating the following exercises:
Squats are a powerhouse exercise that engages multiple muscle groups, offering numerous benefits, from strengthening the lower body to improving overall mobility. While they are highly effective, performing squats with proper form is crucial to avoid common mistakes and reduce the risk of injury. By incorporating squats into your fitness routine with proper technique, you’ll build strength, enhance functional movement, and achieve better overall fitness results.
👉🏻 If you’re struggling to see results, stay consistent, or create effective routines, don’t go it alone. A coach can offer the guidance, support, and accountability you need to reach your goals faster and with greater confidence. Reach out today—you’re closer than you think!
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
About the Author
Adriana Albritton holds a Master’s degree in Forensic Psychology, is certified in personal training, nutrition, and detoxification, and is the founder of FitnAll Coaching and its accompanying blog. She is the author of 28 Days to a New Life: A Holistic Program to Get Fit, Delay Aging, and Enhance Your Mindset, and a coauthor of The Better Business Book Volumes II and III. With a background in mental health, Adriana brings a holistic, science-backed approach to wellness. She combines mindset coaching, fitness, and nutrition to help people stay lean, energized, healthy, and centered. As part of Health Six FIT, she’s also helping reshape healthcare through AI-driven, integrative wellness education.
