19 ways to do squats with weights + why they're so good for you

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re looking to switch up your bodyweight squats for some more challenging squats with weights. You’ve come to the right place. Before we get into it, though, know that this is absolutely no shade to bodyweight workouts.

Studies show that using your own body as resistance could be just as effective as picking up a pair of dumbbells for gaining strength, but if you’re someone that has been doing bodyweight squat variations for a while now, progressive overload is key. By definition, this could include increasing the number of reps you do, but adding weights is a proven way to increase both your strength and hypertrophy (muscle growth). Staying in your comfort zone with bodyweight squats could mean your results dry up quicker than your water bottle on a 10k run.

Handily then, there are plenty of squats with weights variations to level up your leg workouts. Read on for 19 best ways to do squats with weights, plus 6 bodyweight squat variations, for the times when you’re not feeling weights.

Unsure what weight to go for? Check out our guide on how to pick the right weights for your workout.

19 best ways to do squats with weights

1. Kettlebell Front Squat

a) Holding a kettlebell at shoulder height, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out. You can let the weight rest gently on your shoulder.

b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.

c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.

d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.

Muscles worked: Quads, core, glutes

2. Kettlebell Goblet Squat

a) Holding a kettlebell in front of your chest, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.

b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.

c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.

d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.

Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders

3. Kettlebell Kang Squats

a) Stand up straight with feet wider than hip-distance apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Place your hands either side of the bottom of a kettlebell in a goblet position, in front of your chest.

b) Hinge at your hips and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel with floor. Then, sit the hips back and bend at the knees to sink into a squat until your thighs are parallel with floor. Push through heels and reverse the movement to return to start.

Muscles worked: Hamstrings, glutes, back

4. Kettlebell Lateral Squats

a) Hold a kettlebell in front of your chest, cupping it in both hands. Set your feet twice shoulder-width apart.

b) Shift your weight to one leg and push your hips back as you lower your body as far as you can. Keep your other leg straight. Rise back up and repeat to the other side.

Muscles worked: Core, hamstrings, glutes, quads, calves, lower back muscles

5. Kettlebell Overhead Squats

a) Holding a kettlebell overhead with your right hand, palm facing forwards, send your body back through your heels and drop into a squat. Lower for five seconds until your bum is slightly lower than your knees.

b) Thrust back to your starting position, squeezing your bum and keeping the dumbbell still. Swap sides and repeat.

Muscles worked: Shoulders, legs, glutes

6. Kettlebell Split Squat

a) Holding a kettlebell in a goblet position, place one foot in front of the other. Make sure the back foot only has the toe touching the floor.

b) Keeping your knee positioned directly over your ankle and making sure it doesn't bend over your toe, lunge forward and clench your glutes. Lower your back knee to the floor until it touches and then push up through the soles of your feet. Keep your back straight and gaze forward.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, upper legs

7. Kettlebell Overhead Split Squat

a) Holding a kettlebell directly over your shoulder, place one foot in front of the other. Make sure the back foot only has the toe touching the floor.

b) Keeping your knee positioned directly over your ankle and making sure it doesn't bend over your toe, lunge forward and clench your glutes. Lower your back knee to the floor until it touches and then push up through the soles of your feet. Keep your back straight and gaze forward.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, upper legs

8. Kettlebell Sumo Squat

a) Grab a kettlebell and hold the handle with two hands at arm's length in front of your pelvis. Set your feet about twice your shoulder width apart, toes turned out slightly. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.

b) Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.

Muscles worked: Hips, glutes, quads

9. Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat

a) Stand with a dumbbell in one hand facing away from a bench with your right leg extended back and foot on top of the bench.

b) Bend the front knee until the knee of the rear leg is almost in contact with the floor then return to the original standing position. Try not to let your front knee (the one bending) go beyond the toes of your forward foot.

Muscles worked: Glutes, quads

10. Dumbbell Front Racked Squat

a) Grab two dumbbells and hold at shoulder level.

b) Slightly bend the knees and bend down until your knees are at a 90-degree angle, keeping your core embraced and your back straight. Return to standing.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings

11. Dumbbell Goblet Pulse Squat

a) Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your knees and toes pointing outwards. Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position in both hands.

b) Lower into a squat and, once you’re as far down as you can go, begin pulsing. Raise and lower your body no more than 6 inches with each pulse.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes

12. Dumbbell Split Squat

a) Holding a dumbbell in a goblet position, place one foot in front of the other. Make sure the back foot only has the toe touching the floor.

b) Keeping your knee positioned directly over your ankle and making sure it doesn't bend over your toe, lunge forward and clench your glutes. Lower your back knee to the floor until it touches and then push up through the soles of your feet. Keep your back straight and gaze forward.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, upper legs

13. Dumbbell Goblet Squat

a) Holding a dumbbell in front of your chest, stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.

b) Keeping your weight in your heels, bend your knees and lower your bum back and down, as if you’re about to sit in a chair.

c) As you lower, engage your core, pull your weight back through your hips and ensure your shoulders don’t round.

d) When your thighs are parallel with the floor, pause for a second, then drive through your heels to push back up to the starting position.

Muscles worked: Glutes, thighs, calves, core, shoulders

14. Dumbbell Pulse Squat

a) Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your knees and toes pointing outwards. Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position in both hands.

b) Lower into a squat and, once you’re as far down as you can go, begin pulsing. Raise and lower your body no more than 6 inches with each pulse.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes

15. Dumbbell Split Squat

a) Holding a dumbbell in a goblet position, place one foot in front of the other. Make sure the back foot only has the toe touching the floor.

b) Keeping your knee positioned directly over your ankle and making sure it doesn't bend over your toe, lunge forward and clench your glutes. Lower your back knee to the floor until it touches and then push up through the soles of your feet. Keep your back straight and gaze forward.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, upper legs

16. Dumbbell Suitcase Squat

a) Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing inwards – towards your thighs. Your feet should be shoulder width apart and toes pointed outwards.

b) Push your hips back, hinging to squat down until your thighs are parallel to the flow and your bum slightly lower than your knees. Keep your shoulders back and your hands still by your sides.

c) Push back up through your heels and glutes with your chest proud and open. No slumping!

Muscles worked: Glutes, quads

17. Dumbbell Sumo Goblet Pulse Squat

a) Start with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with your knees and toes pointing outwards. Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position in front of you.

b) Lower into a squat and, once you’re as far down as you can go, begin pulsing. Raise and lower your body no more than 6 inches with each pulse.

Muscles worked: Quads, calves, groin, hamstrings, hip flexors, outer thighs and glutes

18. Dumbbell Sumo Goblet Squat

a) Grab one heavy dumbbell and hold one end in two hands at arm's length in front of your pelvis. Set your feet about twice your shoulder width apart, toes turned out slightly. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.

b) Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hips, hamstrings, calves, inner thighs

19. Dumbbell Sumo Squat

a) Grab two dumbbells and hold one in each hand at shoulder-height. Set your feet about twice your shoulder width apart, toes turned out slightly. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.

b) Pause, then push yourself back to the starting position.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, groin


6 bodyweight squat variations

1. Air Squat

a) Standing with feet hip-width apart hinge at the knees to come into a squat position – making sure your knees track over your toes and don't extend past.

b) With the weight in your heels push back up to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.

Muscles worked: Thighs, hamstrings, quads, glutes

2. Gorilla Squat

a) With feet slightly hip-width apart and arms hanging in front of you, lower down into a squat position. Keep your knees tracking over your toes.

b) From here, let your knuckles lightly brush the ground before pushing through your heels to come back to standing.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings

3. Sumo Squat

a) Place your feet wider than hip-width apart and lower down into a squat position with your knees tracking over your toes. You can bring your arms overhead as you lower down if it helps keep your upper body upright.

b) Raise back up to standing and repeat.

Muscles worked: Quads, gluteus muscles, hips, hamstrings, calves, inner thighs

4. Squat Jump

a) Lower down into a squat position with your feet hip-width apart.

b) Powerfully explode upwards by pushing through your heels and using your glutes to jump. Try to extend your legs fully at the top of the jump.

c) Land in a squat position and repeat.

Muscles worked: Glutes, quads, hips, hamstrings

5. In-Out Squat

a) Standing with your feet together, jump out into a deep lunge making sure to keep your upper body upright and your knees tracking over your toes.

b) Jump back to standing and then immediately jump back into a deep squat.

Muscles worked: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, calves

6. Tempo Squat

a) From standing, lower down into a squat position slowly, counting 3-5 seconds on the way down.

b) Powerfully push through your heels to stand upright and repeat.

Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, adductors, hamstrings, calves

Squat party, you say? RSVP: Attending.


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