Bodyweight Squat
Legs · Bodyweight · Beginner
How to do it
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and toes slightly pointed outward.
- Brace your core and keep your chest lifted.
- Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
- Descend until your thighs are near parallel to the floor or as low as comfortable while keeping your heels down.
- Press through your feet and drive your hips forward to stand tall.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles worked
Primary: Quads
Secondary: Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves, Core
Is your Bodyweight Squat good?
Enter your bodyweight to compare against Buffro's nine strength ranks. The source is Buffro's exercise-specific standards, not a generic chart copied across every movement.
| Buffro rank | Clean reps |
|---|---|
| Beginner | 3 reps |
| Novice | 14 reps |
| Intermediate | 24 reps |
| Advanced | 40 reps |
| Expert | 55 reps |
| Veteran | 74 reps |
| Elite | 92 reps |
| Master | 113 reps |
| Apex | 134 reps |
These targets mirror Buffro's bodyweight-rep rank math for adults under 40 and adjust for bodyweight. They are training benchmarks, not medical or safety limits.
The table uses the same nine tiers as the Buffro app for Bodyweight Squat.
Sets and reps
Use an easy load and stop well before failure while you learn the movement.
Finish most sets with 1-3 good reps still available.
Rest 2-4 minutes so each working set stays strong.
Common mistakes
- Using momentum to finish the rep. Keep your body controlled so the target muscles, not swinging, create the movement.
- Shortening the range as fatigue builds. Use the largest pain-free range that keeps tension on your quads.
- Turning the set into a speed contest. Pause briefly in the hardest position, then control the return instead of dropping into the next rep.
Bodyweight Squat FAQ
What muscles does the Bodyweight Squat work?
The primary target is quads. It also involves glutes, hamstrings, calves, core while you keep the movement controlled.
How many sets and reps should I do for the Bodyweight Squat?
Start with 3 sets in a repeatable range. Use 6-12 reps for most compound work or 10-15 for smaller isolation work, then add load after you can complete every rep cleanly.
How should I read the Bodyweight Squat strength standards?
Use clean reps through the same range each set. Buffro adjusts bodyweight-rep standards for bodyweight, sex, and the movement's difficulty family.
