Squats: How-to, Benefits & Variations
Squats target quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Stand hip-width apart, push hips back, lower to parallel, drive up through heels. Builds bone density and functional strength during perimenopause.
Squats: How-to, Benefits & Variations
73% of adults who sit more than six hours daily develop measurable lower-body strength deficits within a decade. I keep coming back to that number because it describes most women I train. Desk job, car commute, couch in the evening. The quads atrophy. The glutes forget how to fire. The knees start aching on stairs.
Squats fix all three problems in one movement. Not a fancy variation. Not a loaded barbell back squat. Just the basic squat pattern: feet hip-width, hips back, drop until your thighs hit parallel, drive up through your heels. Sophie Jones calls it "a pretty good full-body movement that gets the body prepared," which is the most understated description of the single most functional exercise humans can do. You squat to sit, to pick things up, to play with kids, to get off the toilet at 80. A 2025 meta-analysis found resistance training (squats included) improved bone mineral density in postmenopausal women at precisely the skeletal sites most vulnerable to fracture. If you do nothing else for your lower body, do squats.
Full Body HIIT: Workout 3
Aylar Fetrati
How to Do Squats
Stand with your feet hip-width to shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward (about 15-30 degrees). Arms can be at your sides, clasped at chest height, or extended forward for counterbalance. Your weight should be evenly distributed across both feet.
Brace your core by pulling your belly button in toward your spine. Think of tightening a belt one notch. This protects your lower back before you move. Inhale here.
Push your hips back and down as if you are sitting into a chair behind you. Linda Chambers cues this as "dropping down, holding for a second, and then coming all the way up." Keep your chest lifted and shoulders back throughout the descent.
Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, keeping your knees tracking over your toes. Your heels stay planted. If your heels lift, widen your stance slightly or reduce depth until your ankle mobility improves.
Pause at the bottom for one count. Linda Chambers describes a small "scrub around" at the bottom position to open the hips and increase time under tension. This is optional but builds mobility over time.
Exhale and drive through your heels to stand back up. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top. Sophie Jones cues: "Nice and low on them squats, all the way in. Use those glutes." One rep done. Reset your stance and repeat.
Muscles Worked
Primary
Quadriceps
The main knee extensors that drive you back to standing. A 2023 RCT comparing hip thrust vs back squat found the squat produced significantly greater quadriceps activation and hypertrophy. The deeper you go, the more the quads work.
Gluteus maximus
Your strongest hip extensor. Fires hardest in the bottom portion of the squat and during the drive upward. Brad Schoenfeld's research confirms that deep squats (below parallel) recruit more glute fibers than partial range of motion.
Hamstrings
Assist hip extension and stabilize the knee from behind. Their contribution increases as squat depth increases. Work in concert with the quads to control the descent under gravity.
Secondary
Core (transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques)
Stabilize the spine and pelvis throughout the movement. Without core bracing, the torso collapses forward under load. Even bodyweight squats demand significant trunk stabilization.
Erector spinae (lower back)
Maintain spinal neutral as you descend and rise. These muscles work isometrically, preventing rounding under gravity.
Calves (gastrocnemius, soleus)
Stabilize the ankle joint and prevent the heels from rising. Calf flexibility often limits squat depth before hip or knee mobility does.
Hip adductors
Contribute to knee stabilization and assist hip extension, especially in wider stances. The adductor magnus acts as a powerful hip extensor in the deep squat position.
Why this matters in perimenopause
Women begin losing approximately 1-2% of muscle mass per year starting in their late 30s, accelerating sharply during perimenopause as estrogen declines. The squat loads the largest muscle groups in the body simultaneously. A 2024 study showed higher-volume resistance training enhanced whole-body muscle hypertrophy specifically in postmenopausal and older women. Squats are not optional during perimenopause. They are structural maintenance.
Coach's Tips
Linda Chambers: "Dropping down, holding for a second, and then coming all the way up." That pause at the bottom is everything. It eliminates momentum and forces the muscles to work through the sticking point honestly. No bouncing.
Sophie Jones: "Nice and low on them squats, all the way in. Use those glutes." Depth matters. Half-squats leave the glutes undertrained and create quad-dominant patterns that stress the knees. If you cannot hit parallel, work on ankle and hip mobility separately.
Linda Chambers: "At the bottom, you can take a little scrub around." This micro-movement at the bottom of the squat mobilizes the hips and increases time under tension. I use it with women who have tight hip flexors from desk work. Two or three small circles before standing.
Keep your weight in your heels and midfoot. If your heels lift, your knees track too far forward and load shifts to the patellar tendon instead of the glutes and quads. Push an imaginary object behind you with your hips rather than dropping straight down.
If you feel knee discomfort, reduce your range of motion and push your hips farther back. A 2022 OARSI guideline review found that hip and knee strengthening exercises actually protect knee cartilage rather than damage it. Pain is a signal to adjust form, not to stop squatting entirely.
Sophie Jones offers three intensity levels in one workout: "You've got option bodyweight, banded, or jump." Start bodyweight. When 15 reps feel easy, add a band above the knees. When banded squats feel moderate, try jump squats for power and bone loading. Match the variation to your energy that day.
If balance is an issue, hold onto a doorframe or the back of a sturdy chair. You can also place a box or bench behind you at parallel height. Touch it with your glutes on each rep for depth consistency. This is not cheating. It is smart progression.
Why This Matters for You
Squats address four perimenopause priorities simultaneously, which is why I consider them non-negotiable for this population.
First, bone density. The lumbar spine and femoral neck lose bone fastest during the menopause transition. A 2025 meta-analysis confirmed resistance training protects both sites. Squats load them under body weight plus whatever you add.
Second, muscle mass. Women lose 1-2% annually from their late 30s onward. A 2024 study found higher-volume resistance training reversed this trajectory specifically in postmenopausal women.
Third, metabolic rate. More muscle means more calories burned at rest. The perimenopause metabolism shift is real, but the solution is not less food. It is more muscle.
Fourth, stability. The European Menopause and Andropause Society and the International Menopause Society both recommend lower-body strength training in their exercise position statements. Squats build the quad, glute, and ankle strength that keeps you confident on uneven terrain and slippery surfaces. During perimenopause, this is not vanity. It is survival.
Variations & Modifications
Mid-Stance Squats
mediumStandard squat with a narrower foot position and a brief pause at the bottom to mobilize the hips. Linda Chambers uses this as a warm-up drill. The pause builds control and ankle mobility. 1 occurrence in our workout library.
Banded Squats
mediumPlace a resistance band just above your knees. The band forces your gluteus medius to engage throughout the movement, preventing knee collapse (valgus). This is the single best squat modification for women with knee pain or weak hip stabilizers. 3,600 monthly searches.
Jump Squats
highExplode upward from the bottom of the squat, landing softly with bent knees. High-impact and high-reward: a 2025 meta-analysis confirmed that bone-loading exercises improve bone mineral density at fracture-prone sites. Sophie Jones cues this as the "badass" option. Not recommended for active knee or pelvic floor issues.
Squat Thrusters
highCombine a squat with an overhead press at the top. Full-body compound movement that spikes heart rate and trains coordination. Hold dumbbells at shoulder height, squat to parallel, drive up and press overhead in one fluid motion. 5,400 monthly searches for this variation.
Squat to Overhead Press
medium-highSimilar to thrusters but with a deliberate pause between the squat and the press. Separating the movements allows heavier load on each phase. Good for women building total-body strength with limited equipment at home.
Benefits
Bone density protection
A 2025 meta-analysis of resistance training in postmenopausal women found significant improvements in bone mineral density at the lumbar spine and femoral neck. Squats load both sites under compression, which is exactly the stimulus bones need to remodel. This matters most during perimenopause when estrogen-driven bone remodeling slows.
Functional independence
Getting out of a chair. Climbing stairs. Picking up a child. Every one of these is a squat pattern. A 2023 study on postmenopausal women found that a single-set functional training program improved muscle power and functional fitness while reducing inflammatory markers. Squats are not gym exercises. They are life exercises.
Metabolic health
Squats recruit the largest muscles in the body. More muscle mass means higher resting metabolic rate. A 2025 systematic review comparing resistance vs cardio training found resistance training produced superior fat loss when combined with metabolic benefits of increased lean mass. For women fighting the metabolic slowdown of perimenopause, this is not trivial.
Joint health (yes, including knees)
The myth that squats destroy knees needs to die. A 2022 OARSI guideline update recommended strengthening exercises for knee osteoarthritis management, and hip-and-knee exercises outperformed knee-only work. Squats, done with proper form and progressive loading, build the muscular armor around the knee that prevents degeneration. Weak muscles, not movement, damage joints.
Pelvic floor support
Squats train the pelvic floor through the deep breathing and bracing pattern required to stabilize under load. The descent stretches the pelvic floor; the ascent contracts it. This coordinated lengthening and shortening is what pelvic health physiotherapists actually want. Static kegels alone are not enough.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Knees caving inward (valgus collapse)
Press your knees out over your pinky toes as you descend. If they keep collapsing, add a resistance band above the knees to cue external rotation. This is the most common form fault I see in women, and a band fixes it in one session.
Heels lifting off the floor
This is an ankle mobility issue, not a strength issue. Widen your stance, turn your toes out slightly more, or place thin plates under your heels temporarily. Work on calf stretches and ankle dorsiflexion separately. Do not force depth that your ankles cannot support.
Forward lean with rounded back
You are letting your chest drop. Think about pointing your sternum at the wall in front of you as you descend. If your torso folds past 45 degrees, your hips are too tight or your core is not bracing. Goblet squats teach the upright posture naturally because the weight in front counterbalances you.
Bouncing at the bottom
Linda Chambers' cue solves this: drop down, hold for one second, then come up. The bounce uses elastic recoil instead of muscular contraction. It also puts sudden force through the knee ligaments. Control the bottom. Own that position.
Workouts Featuring This Exercise
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Frequently Asked Questions
Related Exercises
Goblet Squat
Front-loaded squat that teaches upright posture and full depth. The best progression from bodyweight squats.
Bulgarian Split Squat
Single-leg squat variant that corrects imbalances and builds unilateral strength. Separate canonical page.
Sumo Squat
Wide-stance variation that shifts emphasis to inner thighs and requires less ankle mobility.
Glute Bridge
Isolates glute activation without loading the knees. Pairs well with squats for complete lower-body work.
Romanian Deadlift
Hip-hinge pattern that complements the squat's knee-dominant pattern. Together they cover both lower-body movement planes.
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