If you’ve ever wondered what the best fat burner exercises are to get a booty like J-Lo and legs like Carrie Underwood, you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that squats are one of the best exercises you can do to tone, strengthen, and burn fat! However, if you’re not performing squats correctly, you can put yourself at risk for injury, plus, you may not get the most out of this powerful muscle-building move. Read on to learn 6 common squatting mistakes and how to fix them for maximum results (and safety!).

6 Common Squatting Mistakes

Mistake #1: Your Shoulders and Back Are Relaxed

Without proper tension in your shoulders and back, your entire squat breaks down. If you round your back, you lose control and increase your risk of injury.

The Fix: Pull your shoulder blades down and together.

This simple switch will engage your core and keep your body from being loosey-goosey and disengaged. Be mindful of your posture at all times when squatting to prevent injury and make the most of your squats.

Mistake #2: Your Knees Fall Inward Toward Each Other

Caved-in knees are a telltale sign that your outer thighs are lacking in strength. Then, you tend to overcompensate by letting your knees fall inward, which increases muscular imbalances.

The Fix: Anchor your feet to the floor.

By anchoring your feet to the floor, this will help keep your knees where they need to be during your squat. Take a “tripod” stance, ensuring that your weight is evenly distributed under your big toe, little toe, and heel. Push your feet into the ground and out to the sides as you perform your squat. Try adding a circle resistance band - aka, a booty band - just above your knees. Focus on pushing outward slightly to create mild tension on your outer thighs.

Mistake #3: You Never Squat Below Parallel

There’s a big misconception that squatting below parallel is bad for your knees. That’s simply not true. If you have no knee issues or injuries, squatting deeper is perfectly healthy and can actually make your knees stronger. An added bonus to this is that deep squats actually work parts of your glutes that shallow squats don’t. Hello J-Lo booty!

The Fix: Squat as low as you can comfortably.

A good rule of thumb is to squat until the top surface of your thigh is parallel with the floor. If you feel pain, you’ve pushed too low. Squats should never hurt.

Mistake #4: You’ve Only Tried One Type of Squat

A common squatting mistake is that you only complete one type of squat over and over, never seeing the results you’re hoping for.

The Fix: Mix it up!

Variety is the spice of life, so don’t be afraid to mix up your squat game! Try adding back squats, front squats, goblet squats, narrow squats, and plyometric squats into your weekly routine. Each type of squat targets a different muscle area - glutes, hamstrings and glute medius, aka, that stubborn side booty.

Mistake #5: You Only Squat Once a Week

The less often you squat, the longer it will take for you to achieve results and get stronger. Squats are incredibly efficient and work more muscles. That’s why they’re one of the best fat burner exercises and burn more calories than any other movement.

The Fix: Squat 2-3 times per week.

If you want to get results faster, set a goal to complete squats 2-3 times a week and change up your routine each time. One day, lift heavier weights for a handful of reps. Another day, lift lighter weights and increase the number of reps. This keeps your muscles guessing (and the fat burning!).

Mistake #6: Your Knees Extend Past Your Toes

The further your knees jut out past your toes, the more stress you place on your knee joints, which can lead to injury when squatting.

The Fix: Keep your knees in line with your toes.

To prevent injury when squatting, keep your knees in line with your toes by moving your hips back just as much as your knees move forward. Think of it like you’re trying to sit in an imaginary chair.

In our Total Body Transformation community, we provide you with weekly workout plans and new workouts each day, complete with the best fat burner exercises, to help you get the best results possible. We have a dedicated leg day once a week as well as other days that focus on the legs and glutes throughout the week.

Try This Quick Lower Body Workout

If you’d like a taste of what it’s like to work out with us inside of Total Body Transformation, try out this quick, effective lower body workout. Add it to your weekly routine and comment below to let us know you’ve completed it!

Lower Body Workout

5 burpees
10 lunges - alternating forward, 10 per side
15 squats
Repeat 5 times

6 Common Squatting Mistakes to Avoid | Best Fat Burner Exercises