The squat is a fundamental movement pattern that requires multiple joint and muscle integration. Babies squat perfectly. And then we unlearn this in favor of bending over.

As a dynamic strength training exercise, squats require several muscles in your upper and lower body to work together simultaneously.

Many of these muscles help power you through daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs, bending, or carrying heavy loads. They also help you perform athletic-related activities.

Adding squats to your workouts can help boost your exercise performance, decrease your risk of injury, and keep you moving more easily throughout the day. But these are just a few of the benefits.

Keep reading to learn more about the rewards you can reap from doing squats and variations you can try for added benefits.

What muscles do squats work?

If there’s one exercise that has the ability to challenge most of the muscles in your body, it’s the squat.

The obvious muscles targeted are in the lower body, but in order to do this compound exercise correctly, you also need to use several muscles above your waist.