Leg Day: 6 at-home squat variations to try during your next workout || Dunnebells

Squats engage your quads, glutes, hamstring and even your core so if you are looking for lean, strong legs try these at-home squat variations during your next workout.

Since you are engaging so many large muscle groups when you perform these exercises you burn more calories than if you were to isolate each muscle group with an exercise.

Squatting movements are far more functional than if you were to perform exercises like hamstring curls which are isolating exercises.

It doesn’t matter if you are a runner, biker, or someone simply interested in achieving your weight loss goals or feeling stronger, squatting is going to be helpful for you and I highly encourage you at these at-home squat variations into your next workout.

If you feel like making yourself a workout to crush tomorrow you can try these 8 bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere or if you want the guesswork taken out of it, signup for the Dunnebells free trial (no credit card required) and you’ll get 7 days of workouts built for you!

If you are anything like me and you love a good sweaty leg day, you are going to love these squat variations.

All of these movements can be completed with your bodyweight, but by adding some free weights you’ll get more bang for your buck. Don’t have weights? Use water bottles, laundry detergent jugs or heavy books.

6 at-home squat variations:

1. GOBLET SQUAT

The goblet squat is a great squat variation to teach proper squat technique and it can be used to build strength for even the most advanced squatters.

Here's how you perform the goblet squat:

Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart and hold something heavy vertically with your hands. Keep the weight nice and close to your body between your chin and your chest area.

Step 2: While keeping your core nice and tight, bend your knees and drop your hips to initiate the squat. Drop down to a distance that feels comfortable to you, ideally, until your elbows touch your knees (approximately).

Step 3: Drive your heels into the ground to stand up to the starting position, while squeezing your glutes.

2. PILÉ SQUAT

A Plié Squat (also known as the sumo squat) works on strengthening your legs, glutes and calves.

The biggest variation with this squat. is that your toes are turned outward in a wide stance position.

One of the biggest benefits of this move is it targets the inner thigh, which can be a hard muscle to work.

Here's how you perform the pilé squat:

Step 1: Turn your toes out into a 45-degree angle and widen your stance so that you are slightly wider than shoulder distance.

Step 2: Bend your knees while lowering your upper body, keep your eyes up and your back neutral (no rounding).

Step 3: Engage your glutes and stand up to the starting position.

Pro tip: You can add more resistance to increase the intensity by holding something heavy in your hands while performing this move.

3. DUAL DUMBBELL SQUAT

This dual dumbell squat targets your quads, hamstrings and glutes. This squat is a multi-joint exercise great for building strength. Another benefit of this squat variation is that it will help to improve stability throughout your core.

Here's how you perform the dual dumbell squat:

Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-distance apart and point your toes slightly outwards. Lift a set of weights or something heavy onto each shoulder.

Step 2: Keep hour eyes up and your upper body as upright as possible, brace your core and lower your body until the crease of your hip drops below your knee level. You will need to bend your knees and push your hips back to achieve this.

Step 3: Pause at the bottom before driving your heels into the floor and stand up to the starting position, while squeezing your glutes.

Pro tip: Keep your heels on the ground throughout the squat motion.

4. PRISONER SQUAT

The name for this moved comes from the “prisoner” arm position and it’s a great move to target your glutes, quads and hamstrings. You will get a little bit of an extra burn in your shoulders by holding your arms behind your head while performing this squat variation.

Here's how you perform the prisoner squat:

Step 1: Start with your feet slightly wider than hip-distance apart. Lift your arms and place your hands behind your head.

Step 2: Pull your elbows back, eyes up and chest up. Start by bending from your hips and knees, lowering down until your hip crease drops below your knee level.

Step 3: Engage your glutes and stand up to the starting position.

Pro tip: Add a jump to this squat variation to increase the intensity easily.

5. SPLIT SQUAT

Ready for some burn? This split squat is where it is at. Using the same muscles as a regular squat, the single-leg foundation will place a large amount of tension on one leg at a time while also boosting your overall functional strength.

Here's how you perform the split squat:

Step 1: Take a large step forward as if you are going to do a lunge. You can raise the heel of your back foot. While keeping your upper body straight, lower your body down until your back knee almost hits the floor.

Step 2: Push back up to complete a rep, complete multiple reps on one leg before switching the front leg.

Pro tip: Keep your front knee in one with your toes, try not to let your front knee go past your toes. If it is, widen your stance.

6. CURTSY SQUAT

Don’t be fooled by this nice-sounding name. There is nothing princessy about this movement. This is one of the best exercises for toning your inner thighs (that hard to reach spot). This squat variation is a great addition to your next workout because it targets different muscle groups than a regular squat or lunge.

Here's how you perform the curtsy squat:

Step 1: Hands-on your hips, feet hip-distance apart step wide behind one of your legs as if you are coming into a lateral lunge, bending both knees. Keep your chest upright as much as possible. Lower your hips until the behind leg thigh is nearly parallel to the floor. one of your thigh

Step 2: Engage your glutes and stand up to the starting position, alternate legs/sides.

Now you have everything you need to mix up your next workout with these at-home squat variations.

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