Last week, we went over one of the most basic of fitness movements: the bodyweight squat. Though there is no external load needed to perform this exercise, its difficulty should not be underestimated. Here is a brief recap of how to perform bodyweight squats:

1. Stand straight with your head and eyes straight to the front, your feet about shoulder width apart.

2. Keeping your back straight, squat down as far as possible. As you squat down, avoid the temptation to bend at the waist and bring your upper body forward. Your lower back should be naturally rounded and protected.

3. As far as hand placement goes, some prefer to keep their hands down at their sides while others prefer to hold their arms out in front of them for balance. Clasping your hands behind your head forces you to work harder to keep your balance. Find out what works for you.

4. Squat down until your butt just about touches your calves and come back up, locking out your knees. Repeat this sequence for as long as you can. Eventually, you will establish a rhythm while doing squats. It should take about one second to squat down and one second to come back up.

Here are some squat variations that you can use in your routine to train your lower half:

Star Jumps

Begin in the down position of a squat, your feet together and your hands on your ankles. Now, in one motion, jump up and bring your arms and legs out so that they form a star. Think of being in the ‘up’ position of a jumping jack. Before you hit the ground, bring your legs back together and touch your ankles with your hands again. Star jumps will get you breathing heavy in no time flat, which is a good thing.

Side-to-Side Squats

Begin with your feet about three feet apart. Keeping your back straight, bend your left leg and place all of your weight on your left foot so that your right leg remains straight. Keep your right foot flat on the ground and reach towards it with both hands. Come back up to the starting position and repeat for your opposite leg. If necessary, place your feet closer or farther apart in order to ensure that your feet stay flat on the ground. This exercise works the insides of your thighs.

Feet Together Squats

These are performed in the same manner as regular squats, only your feet are placed next to each other. This position will force you to maintain your balance.

One-Legged Squats

These squats are a great test of balance and strength for your legs. Begin by placing your right leg in the air, as parallel to the ground as possible. Place your arms out in front of you so they are also parallel to the ground. Keeping your back straight, squat down so your right leg does not touch the ground, going down as far as possible. After a few repetitions, do the same for your right leg. If doing one-legged squats is difficult for you, stand in a doorway and use the sides of the door frame for balance until you can perform the exercise without assistance.

Box Squats

For this exercise, you will need a sturdy object to sit on, such as a chair, table, or actual box. The object should be high enough so that you can sit down on it and have your upper legs parallel to the ground. Stand with your back toward the object and squat down as you normally would until you make contact with it.

Place as much of your weight on your backside as possible. Do not let your feet come off the ground when you come down. Now, from this seated position, stand back up. Repeat this movement, ensuring that you lean back into the squat as if you were easing back into a chair. Coming up from this seated position works your hamstrings and builds strength in your glutes as well.

Leg strength and endurance are two things that we can all benefit from, regardless of profession or age. Walking and running, the two oldest and most natural forms of transportation known to man, both require a certain amount of conditioning in order to perform. As such, it is important to include at least one lower body exercise in your training regiment to ensure that your legs develop in proportion to the rest of your physique.