There are many reasons to hate the squat. It’s hard to get right, for one. It hurts for days, too. So the thought of doing 100 squats a day is, to most reasonably-minded people, absolute torture. Get through it, however, and the potential rewards are great.

Sure, along with the bench press and deadlifting, it’s one of the ‘big three’ movements of compound training, but getting it right is far from simple. Like the other two, the squat requires you to rope in muscle groups from all across the body, combining balance, strength, and power to get it right. All of which relies on good form. No, scratch that. To squat without injury, good form is essential.

We’re not talking about a barbell squat, either. Or even practising with the relative safety of the smith machine. At its most basic, the bodyweight squat is still a difficult beast to pin down. Which is why, in the name of good form, strong gains, and injury-free quads, we corralled some of the finest experts in the business to talk you through mastering the squat. Call if you need a leg up.

The Experts

• James Castle-Mason – an all-round wellness guru, and master trainer and PT at London’s elite Roar Fitness.
• Luke Worthington – as well as being a fantastic man, Luke is a biomechanics expert and personal trainer working with MMA fighters, and Commonwealth and Olympic level athletes across the UK, USA, Russia, and Europe. He’s also a movement and performance specialist at London’s Third Space.
• David Arnot – As a PT working with healthy eating innovators Nutrifix, and part of elite trainers Evolve 353, Arnot knows the importance of building a powerful body.

Why Are Squats Important?

Let’s start at the beginning. Very few men do squats for fun. You never saw a squat montage in a Rocky film, so that’s the point? Well, turns out the benefits are as numerous as Stallone’s veiny muscles.