Types of Squats and Their Benefits
1. Exercise ball squat:
This type of exercise is one of the most beneficial exercises for building up strength in your legs and helps to improve hip, ankle, and back movement. The exercise ball also provides a stabilizing force that aids you with balance while doing this exercise.
How To Do:
lie on an exercise ball from upper back down, then slowly roll forward so that shoulders, thorax, and hips are resting on top of the exercise ball. Next, position arms so they’re in line with the torso, palms face up.
Bend knees at a 90-degree angle and place feet flat on the floor in front of the body, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes raised off the ground by inches [5 cm]. Inhale, then exhale as you slowly lower your hips toward the ground. Inhale as you press back up to starting position. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 10 reps.
2. Front Squat:
This type of exercise is one of the most common squats and works on your quadriceps muscles which form the front part of your thigh. This Squat also needs a good amount of balance and coordination, especially when you do it with a barbell resting on your shoulders along with weights in each hand.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it in front of your body at shoulder width or slightly wider with palms facing up; slowly step away from the shelf to clear so you can descend safely behind the bar.
Take one step back with the opposite leg, feet hip-width apart. The feet should be firmly planted on the floor, torso upright, with the head directly over your legs. Hips pushed back, so knee caps are almost brushing your thighs [but not relatively] while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
3. Goblet Squat:
This type of Squat is another form of the front Squat but doesn’t require weights in your hands. This is good for beginners who are not comfortable holding barbells or want to try something different.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at chest level with your palms facing down; slowly step away from the shelf so you can descend safely behind the bar. Take one step back with the opposite leg, feet hip-width apart.
Feet should be firmly planted on the ground, torso upright, head directly over your legs while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
4. Split Squat:
This type of Squat is similar to the goblet squats, but you don’t need to hold anything in your hands; instead, you must keep one foot forward and the other slightly backward, which helps work on your gluteal muscles (buttocks) more than any different squat does.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at chest level with palms facing down; slowly step away from the stand so you can descend safely behind the bar. Take one step back with the opposite leg, feet hip-width apart.
Feet should be firmly planted on the ground, torso upright, head directly over your legs while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
5. Pistol Squat:
This type of Squat is a tough one due to its difficulty level as it requires a good amount of balance and coordination from both your lower body and the upper body, so don’t worry if you can’t do this perfectly at first. Just keep trying and working towards it with time as practice makes perfect.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at chest level with palms facing down; slowly step away from the stand so you can descend safely behind the bar. Take one step back with the opposite foot, feet hip-width apart.
Feet should be firmly planted on the ground, torso upright, head directly over your legs while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again—repeat 10 reps on each side.
6. Box Squat:
This type of Squat is like a combination of both the front and back squats as you must be holding heavyweights in your hands and standing upright, but at the same time, you need to make sure that your feet are planted firmly on the ground with knees slightly bent.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at chest level with palms facing down; slowly step away from the stand so you can descend safely behind the bar. Take one step back with the opposite foot, feet hip-width apart.
Feet should be firmly planted on the ground, torso upright, head directly over your legs while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again—repeat 10 reps on each side.
7. Close-Stance Back Squat:
This type of Squat is very similar to the standard back squats, but it targets your lower body muscles more than any other type of squat does. There’s also a difference in the placement of your feet as here they are kept closer together, which puts more stress on your inner thighs or adductor muscles instead of putting all the weight on quadriceps like in most types of squats.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at chest level with palms facing down; slowly step away from the stand so you can descend safely behind the bar. Take one step back with the opposite foot, feet hip-width apart.
Feet should be firmly planted on the ground, torso upright, head directly over your legs while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again. Repeat 10 reps on each side. 8. Sumo Squat:- Sumo wrestlers generally do this type of Squat, but you can still try it out to give your inner thighs a good workout.
Yoga Squat:
This type of Squat is very similar to the Yoga pose called “Malasana,” which means something like “Garland Pose,” and it’s one of the best ways for you to get your body ready for squats as it increases your flexibility in muscles that are otherwise tightened by heavy squats, especially hamstrings and calves.
How To Do:
Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly closer if that’s more comfortable for you or stand wide if that is more comfortable for you, step barbell placed across upper trapezius muscles, not on the cervical spine.
Lift the bar off the rack and hold it at chest level with palms facing down; slowly step away from the stand so you can descend safely behind the bar. Take one step back with the opposite foot, feet hip-width apart.
Feet should be firmly planted on the ground, torso upright, head directly over your legs while descending into a squat position. Now come up by extending hips and knees while inhaling until you’re standing tall again—repeat 10 reps on each side.