Squats are an extremely effective lower-body exercise! They come with tons of benefits, like:

• Strengthening and toning leg muscles (quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings)
• Improving strength in your knee joints
• Burning fat (which promotes weight loss)
• Strengthening the lower back
• Improving flexibility in your lower body

While the basic squat is still a great option, incorporating different squat variations is a great way to change up your leg workout and improve your strength, mobility, balance, and. Of course, they also give you that much-desired muscle definition in your legs and booty.

The following are nine squat variations to add to your fitness routine. They will help build and tone muscle no matter what your age!

1. Plié Squat Exercise

If you want more inner thigh work, a plié squat is a great choice. By turning your legs open (external rotation), the inner thigh muscles are activated and turned on for more help.

How to do plié squats:

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder distance apart and toes turned out at a 45-degree angle.
2. Bend your knees and lower your torso, keeping your back straight and abs tight.
3. Squeeze your glutes and come to a standing position.

2. Squat Jump

Want to burn extra fat and calories? Jump squats are your new friend. Feel Free to add in a kettlebell to up the ante.

How to do squat jumps:

1. Start standing with feet hip distance apart and lower into a squat position by bending the knees. Keep the spine straight, chest lifted, and knees behind toes. Arms are in front of the chest for balance.
2. Jump straight up and swing your arms overhead. Return to squat.

3. Stiletto Squat Exercise

How to do stiletto squats:

1. Start standing and lift your heels high like you’re wearing heels. Keeping your abs engaged slowly drop into a squat bringing your hips to knee height.
2. Squeeze your glutes and return to your starting position.

4. Pistol Squat

If your focus is solely on shaping your butt, then a pistol squat is a great variety to mix into your workout.

How to do pistol squats:

1. Stand with feet hip distance apart and extend 1 leg long in front of the body.
2. Bring hands to hips or the front of your body for balance. Sit back into a squat with weight in the heel of the foot, then slowly stand back up using your glute and hamstring muscles. Repeat for the desired number of reps and switch sides.

5. Surfer Squat Exercise

How to do surfer squats:

1. Start in a squat position with the body facing the side of the room but eyes looking forward.
2. Jump a full 180 degrees and land in a squat so that the body is now facing the other side of the room. Keep your eyes forward.
3. Continue to make 180-degree jump-turns with eyes looking forward and the body staying in a squat position.

6. Squat Thrust

How to do squat thrusts:

1. Start standing with feet hip distance apart and lower into a squat position by bending the knees. Keep the spine straight, chest lifted, and knees behind toes. The elbows are bent and dumbbells are at shoulder height.
2. Using the lower body, thrust up to standing and press the dumbbells overhead extending the arms long. Then lower back to the starting position.

7. Medicine Ball Squat Toss

How to do medicine ball squat tosses:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and hold the medicine ball with two hands in front of your chest.
2. Sit back in a squat position, keeping your chest lifted, and lower the ball to the floor.
3. Stand up with an explosive movement while tossing the ball up overhead.
4. Catch the ball at chest level and sit back to squat position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

8. Resistance Band Squat Exercise

How to do resistance band squats:

1. Stand on the band with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the handles next to your shoulders so the band is behind the back of your arms.
2. Slowly sit down and back into a squat position keeping abdominals tight and chest lifted.
3. Press back up through heels, squeezing glutes.

9. Side-to-Side Squat

How to do side-to-side squats:

1. Start standing with feet hip distance apart and sit back into a squat position by bending the knees.
2. Keep your abs tight and back straight. Step wide to one side staying in your squat position, go back to your starting position, and then side squat wide in the other direction using all your lower body muscles then back to center. Continue squatting side to side staying low throughout.

Keep Your Joints Healthy As You Age

Keeping your joints healthy is key to staying mobile and experiencing less pain as you age. Although you may not be able to prevent all joint injuries or arthritis, there are many things you can start doing today to improve your joint health!

The Best Core Exercises for Seniors

Ab workouts aren’t limited to athletes and the under-30 crowd!

Seniors rank as one of the top groups who should be doing core strengthening exercises regularly because targeting your midsection with exercises that sculpt and strengthen is key to staying healthy and active.

HIIT For Beginners

HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training) can improve your cardiovascular fitness while helping you build lean muscle and burn fat.

As a personal trainer for decades, I have recommended this type of workout to so many people and currently include it in my workout routine — because HIIT exercises work to burn fat, fast!

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