Squats may be the most common movement in your training regime, but you’re likely doing them incorrectly. Sure, they can seem like an easy, straightforward exercise, but executing them well is difficult. This movement engages your glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, and core. If even one muscle group isn’t activated correctly, your entire form could be off.
As a strength coach, I always recommend nailing the basics of a bodyweight squat before adding on weight or trying more complex variations. If you add on too much weight or perform too many reps without the proper training, you can become injured.
The first step to cleaning up your squat mechanics is to watch yourself doing them. Try squatting in front of a mirror or taking a video of yourself to reference as you go through these common mistakes.
1. You’re not creating torque.
You may be focused on your quads and glutes when you squat. And while you’re not wrong to do so, strong squat form starts from the ground up. Yes, I’m referring to your feet—the most important base of support in this movement.
The concept of torque refers to rotational force, a…
