Squatting is a common posture in daily life. The act of squatting and standing strengthens core and lower-body muscles, promotes blood circulation, and enhances cardiovascular fitness. Squatting needn't be monotonous—varying the form targets different muscle groups while making exercise more enjoyable.
Wall-facing squat. Relieves neck, shoulder, waist, and leg pain by stretching muscles, ligaments, and the entire spine. Practice by standing facing a wall with feet together, weight on the balls of your feet, arms relaxed at your sides, eyes forward, and waist relaxed. Gently arch backward, slowly lower into a squat, then rise back up.Keep your head neutral—neither tilted back nor forward—maintaining spinal alignment. Adjust squat speed as needed; seniors or those less active should opt for slow squats (2-3 per minute), limiting daily reps to around 150.
Horse Stance Squat. This static strength exercise primarily targets the quadriceps, enhancing core and lower-body strength while improving stability.To perform, stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward. Lower into a half-squat position with thighs parallel to the ground. Push knees outward, ensuring they do not extend beyond the toes. Tuck the hips forward and inward while keeping the upper body upright. Horse stance places significant stress on the knees; proceed within your limits and maintain proper form.
Squats. Effectively target lower-body muscles, glutes, and core muscles like the abdominals.To perform, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes and knees aligned forward. Keep eyes level ahead, arms hanging naturally or held out to the sides. Bend knees, pushing hips back while engaging all muscles to maintain a straight back. Lower slowly into the squat while extending arms forward. Ensure knees don't extend past toes, heels remain grounded, and weight is primarily on the heels.Stop when your hips are slightly lower than your knees. Then, using your thighs, push back up from your heels to return to the starting position.
Lunges. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, eyes forward, chest and back upright, hands on hips. Step right foot forward directly in front of left foot. Keep upper body upright as you lower forward, bending right knee to about 90 degrees. Avoid letting knee extend past toes. Lower left knee until it nearly touches the ground but does not contact it, then push back up.Repeat with left foot forward. This exercise improves balance and strengthens core, gluteal, and thigh muscles.
Close-Leg Squat. Stand with feet together, knees bent, thighs touching calves. Maintain an upright torso for 1–3 minutes.This primarily targets the front and outer muscles of the thighs and calves, as well as the spinal muscles. However, it is not recommended for individuals with lower limb joint issues, especially those experiencing knee pain or limited mobility.
Toe Squat. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, balancing on the balls of your feet with heels lifted off the ground. Bend your knees so your thighs are close to your calves, keeping your upper body upright. Hold for 30–60 seconds.Primarily targets calf muscles, core muscles, and body balance. Not recommended for individuals with knee joint pain or Achilles tendon injuries.
Wall Squats. 1. Wall-supported static squat: Stand with back straight against the wall, bend hips and knees to form a 90°–150° angle between thighs and calves, hands hanging naturally or resting lightly on thighs.2. Wall Slide Squat: Position feet about 30 cm from the wall, leaning diagonally against it with hands hanging naturally. Bend knees to lower into a squat. When thighs are parallel to the floor, push through heels to raise body back to starting position. Keep back pressed against wall throughout, avoiding knees extending past toes or collapsing inward. Perform 30 seconds to 2 minutes per set, repeating 2–3 sets consecutively.This exercise is particularly beneficial for strengthening the quadriceps muscles in individuals with noticeable knee pain, those in the early stages of lower-limb surgery recovery, and middle-aged or elderly people.