How to Squat Correctly – 5 Common Mistakes

The squat is the queen of all exercises – and the one people cheat on most. Usually without noticing. Clear up these five mistakes and you'll feel the difference instantly: steadier, deeper, safer.

A clean squat trains your thighs, glutes, core and your whole bracing system along the way. But because so much works together, mistakes creep in. The good news: nearly all of them come down to one conscious cue. Let's take them one at a time.

Mistake 1: Knees caving inward

On the way up, the knees drift toward each other – the absolute classic, especially on heavier sets or near the end. It stresses the ligaments and steals work from your glutes. The fix: "spread the floor with your feet," as if you're tearing a mat apart. Picture your knees tracking out over your second and third toe. Even a light band around the knees makes the feeling crystal clear.

Mistake 2: Heels lifting off

If you tip onto the balls of your feet, your weight shifts forward and power leaks out. The usual culprit is stiff ankle mobility. The fix: "screw" your heels into the floor and keep your weight over the middle of your foot. If it's stubborn, start with your heels on a thin raised edge – it instantly buys you more depth.

Mistake 3: The rounded back

At the bottom the pelvis tucks under and the lower back rounds (the "butt wink" when overdone). Under load, that's the most common source of back twinges. The fix: chest up, eyes forward, core braced as if you're about to take a punch. Only go as deep as you can hold a neutral spine – depth comes with mobility, not by forcing it.

Mistake 4: Not deep enough

Half squats look tidy but leave your glutes almost out of it. Aim for at least thighs parallel to the floor – deeper is usually even better, as long as your back stays straight. The fix: put a chair or low box behind you and tap it lightly on every rep. That gives you honest, consistent depth.

Mistake 5: Too fast, no control

Dropping down and bouncing back up mostly trains your tendons, not your muscles. The fix: two seconds down under control, a brief pause, then drive up powerfully. Slow isn't weaker here – it's harder.

Ten perfect squats beat thirty where your back picks up the bill later.

One last tip: film yourself from the side once. What feels right often looks different on video – and no coach calls out your weak point as honestly as a recording of your own rep.