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Thighs and buttocks are problem areas for many women, and squats are one of the most effective ways to improve these areas. They help you strengthen and tone your entire lower body, including your butt, thighs, calves, and core.
Keep reading to find out all of the benefits of squats for women, as well as some variations that you can try today.
Table of Contents
What Are The Benefits Of Squats For Women?
Sunny Health & Fitness Squat Assist Row-N-Ride Trainer for Squat Exercise and Glutes Workout
#1) Work your entire lower body
The thing that makes squats so great for women is that they are a total lower-body workout. They work all the major muscle groups of the butt, hips, thighs, and even the calves.
They build strength in the legs and give definition to the gluteal muscles (translation: a round, perky butt) and thigh muscles. What girl doesn’t want that?
#2) Strengthen your core
Squats also help strengthen the core. When you do the exercise, you have to engage your abdominal and back muscles to keep your balance. This gives you a tighter, flatter abdomen and a stronger lower back. It also improves your balance and posture in everyday life.
#3) Easy to do, so you stay consistent
Squats are a compound exercise – they work more than one muscle group at a time and they are particularly effective for burning fat and building strength.
Because they involve a natural movement, they can be done by just about anyone (if you have joint problems, talk to your doctor first).
They are a functional exercise, so they will help you perform everyday activities like sitting, standing, and bending down to pick things up. They are also versatile enough to be done in almost any location, with or without the use of weights or equipment.
How To Do A Basic Squat
Getting the right form in a squat is key. Focus on these key points before you advance to other squat variations:
- Stand straight, with your feet hip width apart.
- Straighten your back and tighten your abdominal muscles.
- Lower your body, keeping your back straight and tall.
- Stop when your legs are parallel to the floor.
- Hold this position for a few seconds; then, keeping your weight on your heel, rise back up to standing.
- Complete 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.
Tips For Squatting
- A slow squat is more effective than a fast squat.
- Give your glutes an extra squeeze when you return to standing.
- Hold your abdominal muscles in while squatting down.
- Keep your knees aligned with your feet.
- Don’t squat below the point where your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Squat Variations
Once you are comfortable doing a regular squat and you have your form down, you can begin to add variations to work the muscles in different ways.
Add weight
Adding weight to a basic squat increases the effectiveness of the exercise. You can hold dumbbells in your hands, either at your sides or on your shoulders. If you have a barbell, hold it across your shoulders. Or use a kettle-bell, held in front of you with both hands.
Inner-thigh squat
To do this variation, place your feet a little wider than shoulder width and turn your knees and toes to a 45-degree angle. Keep your back straight and lower your torso straight down until your thighs are parallel with the floor.
Jump squats
This variation increases the cardio benefit of the exercise. To do jump squats, begin like a regular squat, but do not return to the starting position. Instead, jump in the air and land on the balls of your feet. Perform this exercise on an impact-resistant surface and try to land as softly as you can to minimize the shock.
Exercise Equipment For Squats
Goplus 3-in-1 Multifunctional Squat Machine Deep Sissy Squat & Leg Exercise Squat for Home Gym Fitness Equipment Fabric Non Slip Hip Bands for Booty Resistance Workout Bands – Perfect for Squats, Legs, Butt, Thigh and Hip Workout. G4-MAX Sissy Squat Machine Abs Workout Push Up and Deep Squat 3-in-1 Fuction, Home Gym Fitness
Written by Harper Finch
Lately, I have been interested in doing squats. I have only been doing ab exercises, but have wanted to start doing squats and lower body exercises, as well. This guide will help me very much.
I love squats! I used to hate them when I first started working out, but now that I have been at it for a few months, i’ve learned to love them. All of my workouts have squats in them now.
I wish I had a squat rack like the girl in the picture! I love to do squats but it’s frustrating being limited by the amount of weight that I can safely lift up over my head. I feel like my lower body could be a lot stronger if I could just lift more.
Squat variations are where it is at. Prisoner squats are crazy, then try adding in a rain-man dance while you are squatting and doing quarter turns puts the burn on. I love me some squats, they just make the backside look amazing!
We do at least 50 jump squats at every Zumba class. I tell you my legs hate it when we are doing them. My legs love them when I look in a mirror. They really work!
Same here! I don’t know how anyone could hate squats, especially once you see how great the results are. I love my lower body days when I get to do a lot of squats.
When you first start out you will always hate squats but pretty soon you grow to love them. I remember my legs being sore for days. Trying to climb steps or even walk for a long distance was horrible. Now if it is too easy it feels like I have not been doing enough squats!
Squats are great but have you ever tried tuck jumps? Those are pretty crazy right there but at least when you can mix it up between a few difference exercises you can give your body a little time to catch up!