Squats: The Exercise We Love to Hate

Yes, you know them, and you probably hate them. However, there’s no ifs, ands or buts (no pun intended) when it comes to the fact that squats are one of the best moves for sculpting a butt that is round, lifted, and toned.

Squats are what is known as a compound movement that works your entire body in addition to your glutes, your quads, and your hamstrings. Depending on how low you can safely go, how wide your feet are apart from one another and even just by  turning your toes forward or outward, you work different parts of your legs more intensely.

This is when you need to be extremely careful about form. I would recommend practicing in front of a mirror with no weights, perfecting your form on the traditional squat, then moving on to other types of squats.

Do Squats Make Your Legs Bigger?

While squats may marginally increase the size of your leg muscles, the overall increase in calories burned will decrease the fat on your legs, thus making them smaller. This is what will also make cellulite less obvious.

Because women have relatively little testosterone, we do not have to worry about getting those big muscles bodybuilders get. While some women do put on muscle more easily than others, you will never get that big, bulky look even if you squatted 200 lbs – we just don’t have the genetic make-up.

A lot of times, magazines and articles try to push the squat using just body weight. While using body weight is fine for when you’re just starting out, make sure to pile on weight as you grow stronger. You will be pleasantly surprised at how easy lifting the 45lb barbell really is. This is the only way you will rebuild the muscle fibers in your legs and get those sexy sculpted hamstrings, quads, and glutes you want.

I know when I was jogging and weight training three times per week several years back, I was able to squat 105 pounds! I felt strong. And not once did I ever get the woman bodybuilder look that most of us dread. I also smoothed out all the cellulite on my legs and lifted my rear so much so my boyfriend said how cute my butt looked!

Not that 105 lbs is that wonderful, but you get my point about being able to lift heavy weight without adding bulk. In reality, my butt was smaller and tighter than it had ever been. Unfortunately, I had to stop because of a knee injury, and it all kind of went downhill from there.

I’ll start by teaching you the most basic squat there is. Use a chair as guidance if you find it helpful.

How to Do a Squat Correctly

I. Stand with knees slightly wider than hip width apart. You can spread your feet out beyond your shoulders if you wish, which will work your inner thigh more. Be sure to maintain the natural curve of your spine, lower back, and neck. Tighten your core muscles, keep your shoulders down and back, and lengthen your neck.

II. Inhale as you slowly lower your body as if you were going to sit on a chair down to where your thighs are parallel to the floor. Be sure to not let your knees go beyond your toes by pushing your hips back as you lower down. Pause for a moment, then…

III. Breath out as you return to your starting position, pushing up through your heels to really work your butt and hamstrings.

While this is the most basic squat you can do with or without weight, there are so many variations that I could write an eBook about it. I’ve shown three variations that include your form with dumbbells, with a weight bar, and without weights.

Squats are a truly staple move for creating a lean body that is strong and functional. Squats will help you as you get older too to create a stable core for standing up, bending down, etc.