Performing a body weight squat workout will help you tone up your lower body. A body weight squat is a fitness term for a simple deep knee bend. You can do body weight squats just about anywhere, and as often as you want in order to keep your legs and glutes nice and firm.
Preparation
When you are going to do a series of body weight squats, stretch your legs and lower back to warm up. If you have knee trouble, make sure to wear a brace for support or tape up your knee before you start your workout. If you are going to do body weight squats at home, workout with a partner so you can both enjoy the benefits of the exercise.
Performing a Body Weight SquatTo perform a body weight squat, extend your arms straight out in front of you with your palms down and keep your feet flat on the floor a little wider than your shoulders. Slowly bend your legs to start the exercise and make sure to keep your back as straight as possible. You should also keep your head up and try to look straight ahead during the exercise. Keep your feet flat on the floor as you squat down. When your thighs are parallel to the floor, stand back up to finish the first repetition. Try to do at least 10 repetitions and then take a short break.
Get a drink of water and stretch out a little more until you are ready to start the next set. If you had trouble maintaining your balance during the first set, or if the exercise was too difficult to perform, try putting your hands on your hips for a few repetitions during the next set. Once you increase your leg strength you will be able to easily perform the movement with your arms extended out in front of you.
Increasing the IntensityTo increase the intensity of body weight squats try to perform the exercise for a set number of minutes instead of counting repetitions. For example, set a timer for 5 minutes and then continue to do body weight squats until the time expires. Once you develop more strength in your legs you will be able to further increase the number of minutes that you train. If you have any knee pain the next day, for safety purposes you may want to reduce the number of minutes the next time you do body weight squats.
Another way to increase the intensity of body weight squats is by performing another exercise immediately after you finish a set of squats. For example, once you finish a set of squats, do another body weight exercise such as push-ups or sit-ups. You can even try squats, push-ups and sit-ups all in a row with no rest. Count these three exercises as one set, then try to do at least three total sets to get a great overall fitness workout.
