Box Squat

Quads, Glutes, HamstringsBench or Chair

A foundational movement to strengthen your legs and glutes with controlled squat depth. Using a bench helps build proper hip-hinge mechanics and reduces knee strain.

How to do it

1Stand one step in front of a bench with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2Hinge at your hips and push your butt back, lowering yourself smoothly like a standard squat.

3Lightly touch the bench with your glutes without relaxing your core or dumping your weight onto it.

4Keep your knees tracking in line with your toes—do not let them cave inward.

5Exhale as you drive through your entire foot to stand back up.

Common mistakes

Completely relaxing and flopping onto the bench at the bottom, creating dangerous spinal compression.

Letting your knees collapse inward on the way up, overstressing the knee ligaments.

Lifting your heels off the floor, shifting your center of gravity forward and straining your knees.

Breathing

Take a deep breath on the way down, and exhale as you drive back up to standing.

Make it harder or easier

To scale down, use a higher seat; to scale up, hold a small dumbbell or kettlebell.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.