Kneel to Squat
Targets quads, glutes and core
No equipment needed
Beginner-friendly
Builds lower body strength and hip mobility
Can be done anywhere
Step 1
Kneel on the floor with your knees hip-width apart and hands clasped lightly in front of your chest. Draw your shoulder blades down and back, brace your core and sit tall. This is your starting position.
Step 2
Shift your weight onto your left knee and bring your right foot forward, planting it flat on the floor in front of you. Then drive through your right foot to bring your left foot forward to meet it, arriving in a squat position with feet shoulder-width apart, knees tracking over your toes and thighs roughly parallel to the floor.
Step 3
Reverse the movement — shift your weight to your left foot and step your right foot back, lowering your right knee to the floor. Then shift your weight to your right knee and step your left foot back to return to the starting kneeling position.
Step 4
Repeat, this time leading with your left foot first. Continue alternating the leading leg for the specified number of reps. You should feel this through your quads, glutes and core throughout.
Exercise Benefits
The kneel to squat is a deceptively challenging bodyweight exercise that builds lower body strength, hip mobility and balance all in one movement. Getting up from the floor and controlling the descent back down requires significant quad and glute strength, as well as good ankle and hip mobility. It's a functional exercise that translates directly to everyday movements, and a great option for home workouts where equipment isn't available. It also makes an excellent finisher at the end of a leg session.
