You're Doing Squats All Wrong

Do you know squat about the body-weight squat? When done correctly, the popular movement -- which is one of the best leg exercises because it targets the lower body, including the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps -- can be super effective (hello, Jen Selter). Done wrong, it can be super dangerous. In today's installment of Rodale Wellness' Right Way series, we're going to break it down for you:

1. Start with feet a little wider than hip-width distance apart, toes angled slightly outward, hips stacked over the knees, and knees over the ankles.

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2. Maintaining a neutral spine, make sure shoulders are rolled back. Raise your arms so that they are straight in front of you, parallel to the ground.

3. On an inhale, begin to hinge at the hips and lower the body down, sending your booty backward until your thighs create a line parallel with the ground.

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4. Feel it out. The deeper your squat, the more flexibility you have at the hips. Make sure your chest is raised and shoulders stay back through the entirety of the movement.

5. As you rise back to standing position, engage your core and make sure to exhale.

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