How to Do Squats and Lunges
Stand erect with your feet approximately one shoulder width apart., Push your hips back, slowly bending your knees to a 90 degree angle., Keep your back straight and eyes looking ahead., Slowly rise to starting position.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Stand erect with your feet approximately one shoulder width apart.
From there, you can widen or narrow your stance depending on which muscles you are targeting — a wider stance works the hamstrings and glutes, while a narrower stance works the quads.
Point your toes slightly outwards, as this helps to stabilize your stance.
Keep your arms extended in front of you. -
Step 2: Push your hips back
Rather than squatting straight down, you want to hinge your hips so that your butt moves backwards, almost as if you were sitting in an invisible chair.
Keep bending until your hamstrings are parallel with the floor.
Your knees shouldn't extend beyond the tips of your toes.
Your body weight should be concentrated on your heels rather than on your toes.
This will allow you to squat deeper. , It is very important to keep your back straight while squatting, otherwise you could put unnecessary pressure on the spine which could lead to a pulled muscle or a herniated disc.
Keeping your chest up and your eyes pointing straight ahead will help you to keep your back straight as you squat.
Also try to keep your stomach muscles engaged as you perform the exercise., Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then slowly rise back to your starting position.
Keep your back straight and push up from your heels.
Squeeze your glutes in tight when you reach the top of the squat. -
Step 3: slowly bending your knees to a 90 degree angle.
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Step 4: Keep your back straight and eyes looking ahead.
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Step 5: Slowly rise to starting position.
Detailed Guide
From there, you can widen or narrow your stance depending on which muscles you are targeting — a wider stance works the hamstrings and glutes, while a narrower stance works the quads.
Point your toes slightly outwards, as this helps to stabilize your stance.
Keep your arms extended in front of you.
Rather than squatting straight down, you want to hinge your hips so that your butt moves backwards, almost as if you were sitting in an invisible chair.
Keep bending until your hamstrings are parallel with the floor.
Your knees shouldn't extend beyond the tips of your toes.
Your body weight should be concentrated on your heels rather than on your toes.
This will allow you to squat deeper. , It is very important to keep your back straight while squatting, otherwise you could put unnecessary pressure on the spine which could lead to a pulled muscle or a herniated disc.
Keeping your chest up and your eyes pointing straight ahead will help you to keep your back straight as you squat.
Also try to keep your stomach muscles engaged as you perform the exercise., Pause for a moment at the bottom of the squat, then slowly rise back to your starting position.
Keep your back straight and push up from your heels.
Squeeze your glutes in tight when you reach the top of the squat.
About the Author
Dorothy Taylor
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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