Squat Series

The Squat Series is a powerhouse for building lower-body strength, activating the quads, hamstrings, and glutes, and offering endless versatility in group fitness class design.

Squats can be bodyweight only, supported with a barre, chair, or pole, or intensified with props like weights, balls, bands, or gliders. They can be programmed as high-rep endurance sets or low-rep strength builders. Squats are foundational and fuse well with nearly every other standing series. A group fitness class typically includes at least two variations, such as:

Parallel: Feet hip-width, toes forward
Staggered: Parallel with one foot slightly more forward
Sumo: Medium wide stance with slight turnout
Wide Squat: Toes turned out, heels facing inward (Second Position Plié or Goddess)
Single leg: Parallel squat on one leg
Hack Squat: Hinge the hips back rather than bending the knees to emphasize glute engagement

Framework Tip

Most squats occur in the sagittal plane (like parallel), but combining frontal and transverse variations creates more dynamic, full-body training. Examples include wide squats with lateral flexion (side body stretch or oblique lean) and squats with rotation (open twists, prayer twists, wood chops, trunk rotation, or Shiva Squats).

Squat Series Exercises

Parallel Squat or Chair Pose

Feet are parallel under hips; Toes point forward. Without a barre, hips hinge slightly. With a barre, spine is stacked over hips in a straight line.
Sumo Squats

Feet are wider than hip width; Legs are slightly externally rotated; Toes point to corners.
Wide Squat or Goddess Pose

A wide squat with hips externally rotated. Hands at heart or goal post arms.
Second Position Plié
Second Position Plié with a Stretch

Wide Squat with a static stretch or movement, i.e. “Trace the Clock”
Revolved Squat

Open Twist or Revolved Twist. Keep knees aligned over ankles and facing forward as you rotate.
Prayer Twist

Elbow outside thigh. Rotate from thoracic spine. Neck can be straight or revolved to look up.
Fall Front
Staggered Squats

Feet are parallel; One foot is slightly in front of the other.
Hack or Single Leg Squat
Shiva Squats

Transverse squat; Single Leg squat where knee taps the back of calf of the opposite leg, crossing midline, while squatting.
Eagle Pose

Eagle is a single legged squat with the ankle cross over the knee, or the leg wrapped around the calf.
Standing Figure 4

The ankle of one leg crosses the knee of the opposite leg; Sit back into a squat. Variation: Revolved Figure 4.
Figure 4 with Hip Hinge

Palms press together. Inner forearms come to calf.
Figure 4 Variation (Hands to floor)

Advanced Yogi Option: One Legged Crow Pose

Squat Series Choreography

Featured

Emmy Meli “I Am Woman”

This Squat, Core and Cardio Series transcends a workout and transforms you from the inside out. Participants tell me years later that they remember this track.