The Bodyweight Squat is one of the most well known exercises out there and as a result it's really important to have the right technique, especially as you start progressing this movement.

Squats activate a large range of muscles in the lower body including the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps and calves. All of these muscles are vital for running to allow you to transfer power down and into your stride.

The first thing to think about when doing a squat is your foot position. To find out where your feet will naturally fall which is often the best position, you can simply jump in the air and land with a strong stance. Where your feet land is likely to be a good squatting position. We are looking for our feet to be just wider than hip width apart with our toes angled slightly outwards.

From here you will bend your knees bringing your bum down towards the floor. Squat as deep as you can before seeing a bend come into your spine. You will find that as you get more practice and more used to this movement you will likely develop a larger range of motion allowing you to squat deeper.

Throughout the squat we are aiming to keep our feet flat on the floor with about 80% of your weight going down through your heels. Should you find you are struggling to keep your feet flat on the floor or your heels are lifting up, you can place a weight or a couple of magazines under your heels so that they begin a little higher, but stay glued to their new 'floor'.