9 Intense Bodyweight Squats

Aug 31

Squats are a great exercise for fitness enthusiasts and track athletes.

Without access to a gym or weights, normal bodyweight squats can become boring and less effective for very powerful athletes. There are many variations of the squat movement that focus on intensity on other lower body groups. This article highlights 9 of them and explains how to do them effectively.

Squats are a quad-dominant exercise. Be sure to balance these squat exercises with hip and glute exercises for strength training. For improving posterior chain engagement, check out our article on starting Olympic lifts.

Squatting Form

Whenever doing any type of squat it is essential to have good technique. This will prevent back and knee injuries when you do weight or bodyweight squats.

Head straight, looking forward
Torso straight
Core Engaged
Feet slightly pointed outwards, keeping your weight on
Tailbone in line with your back

9 Bodyweight Squat Variations

Bulgarian Split Squats
Single Leg Squat
Pistol Squat
Plie Squat
Jump Squat
Side Squat
Wide Squat
Crossover Squat
Cossack Squat

You can integrate these into your bodyweight circuits or add weights and add them to your light-weight circuits.

Bulgarian Squats

Although most squats are a quad dominant exercise the Bulgarian squat is a one-legged squat that engages the glute muscles and hip flexors more effectively.

Place the back leg on a higher surface, like a chair or bench, make sure the front leg stays flat on the floor. Lower you body as you would a normal squat, then come up when you’ve hit the bottom of your squat.

Visual: https://youtu.be/KU3psaOTGmc?t=28

Single Leg Squat

Single-leg squat is a squat that is done on only one leg. To do this squat, get into a two-legged squat position and pick up one leg. Orient the free leg (the one not touching the ground) be in front of you. Proceed to squat with control. Once you reach the bottom of your squat come up.

When first attempting these squats, it is good to do them near a wall, so you can experience what a single-leg squat feels like with less weight.

Single leg squats work many running muscles, including the hips, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Single leg squats are rather difficult, so you must focus on proper form to prevent any risk of a knee injury.

Make sure to do single leg squats on both legs to keep your leg strength balanced. You may find that you have to do more on your weaker leg to keep your workout balanced.

Pistol Squat

The pistol squat is a more advanced version of the Single Leg Squat. A pistol squat is a single squat where the free leg stays parallel with the ground throughout the entire squat. This movement requires greater flexibility and balance. It also forces the squatter to engage the core and hip flexors more.

Visual: https://youtu.be/DjxQrgLsty4?t=50

Plie Squat

A plie squat is a squat done in plie dance position. The legs are position more than shoulder width apart, back is straight, and the feet are turned out (instead of facing forward). The squatter should bend their knees and squat as normal.

Jump Squat

Jump squats are great for athletes that need to develop their explosive power. To do a jump squat, start in a regular squat position. Begin to do a squat. When you reach the bottom of your squat, jump up explosively. Land in your starting squat position. Make sure your landing is controlled, so it should be as quiet as possible with your entire foot touching the ground.

Side Squat

To do a side squat, stand straight with legs shoulder feet apart. Press your hips back and to the side. The leg on the side you are squatting will be like a normal squat, while the leg on the side that you are not bending into will be straight. Return to the middle in squat position and squat the other side.

Side squats are great for focusing on outer thigh muscles. They add much needed lateral workouts to squats with their side to side motion.

Wide Squats

Wide squats are a great variation of the normal back squat. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Angle your feet outward at about 30 degrees. Then, proceed to squat making sure that you maintain good technique.

Crossover Squats

Crossover squats are another lateral variation of the squat. To do a crossover, stand straight with feet shoulder position part. Step back slightly to the side with one foot. As you step, flex your hips and move your torso across the front leg. Hold this position, then return to starting position. Repeat on the other leg.

Visual: https://youtu.be/YccV2QleDEE?t=6

Cossack Squats

Cossack squats are another advanced squat variation with side to side movement. They require a great deal of balance and hip flexibility. The exercise especially engages the hip abductors and core.

Start in a very wide stance with your feet tilted outward. Squat over one leg. Keep the leg you are squatting over aligned from hip to knee. Proceed to squat and rotate your hip downwards, ultimately bringing your tailbone close to your hip. Sit in your hips with your back straight. Hold this position temporarily. Then, push back to your starting wide stance position. Repeat on the other leg.

Visual: https://youtu.be/tpczTeSkHz0