As with the deadlift, the squat is a foundational, compound exercise that sits on its own, if you’ll excuse the pun.
- ALTERNATIVE: CHAIR SQUAT
An air squat is a good place to start, but if you haven’t squatted for a long time, even an air squat can be a bit rough. You might consider a chair squat to begin with.
- PROGRESSION: BACK SQUAT
Going from a chair squat to an air squat is one progression; the next step is the back squat. As with all of these exercises, it must be done correctly in order to avoid injury.
- PROGRESSION: JUMP SQUAT (or Squat Jump if you prefer)
Another progression that focuses on lower body power is the jump squat. It can be a challenging movement as it is less easy to control. So be careful—especially if your gym has a low ceiling.
How far you squat down depends on you. It is fine to go down to 90 degrees (as you’ll see in the video), which you should master before going down into a full squat. Make sure that your knees don’t buckle inward.
