Narrow Squat
The narrow squat is a full-depth bodyweight squat with the heels touching, which makes balance and knee bend the main challenges. It works the quadriceps and glutes, and it prepares the legs for single-leg squats.
Also called: Narrow Squats, Close Stance Squat, Heels Together Squat, Feet Together Squat · Equipment: bodyweight · Pattern: squat
Step by step
- Stand with your legs straight and your heels touching, toes pointing forward or slightly out.
- Hold your arms wherever they help you balance, such as straight out in front.
- Squat down slowly, bending at the hips, knees and ankles together, allowing a slight forward lean but keeping your back neutral.
- Descend until your hamstrings rest against your calves.
- Drive back up to standing without bouncing out of the bottom.
- If balance is a problem, squat near a wall and touch it only when you need to.
- Heels together
- Hips, knees and ankles bend together
- Hamstrings to calves
- Back neutral, slight lean
- Rise smooth, no bounce
In VALDA, these cues are one tap away on the exercise while you train.
What it trains
| Muscle | Role | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Quadriceps | Prime mover | D |
| Gluteus maximus | Secondary | D |
| Adductors | Secondary | D |
| Soleus | Stabiliser | D |
| Gluteus medius/minimus | Stabiliser | D |
| Erector spinae | Stabiliser | D |
Evidence grades: A = strong research base · B = good · C = limited · D = coaching consensus.
What goes wrong, and the fix
Folding at the hips
Fix: Allow only a slight forward lean and bend the knees and hips together.
Bouncing out of the bottom
Fix: Reach the bottom under control and drive up smoothly.
Half depth
Fix: Descend until your hamstrings rest on your calves.
Heels lifting
Fix: Keep your heels on the floor and use a wall for balance if needed.
What the research says
General fitnessEndurance
- Load and effort — Research finds muscle growth is similar across a wide range of loads when sets are taken close to failure, and lighter loads favour muscular endurance, which is where bodyweight squats sit.
- Depth — A training study found full-depth squats grew the glutes and inner thighs more than half squats, with similar thigh-front growth.
- Sets and reps — Hampton's Hybrid Calisthenics standards run from 2 sets of 10 to 2 sets of 30. There is no research on heels-together squat programming.
Log the narrow squat in VALDA, with these cues one tap away while you train and your history for it in one place.
General information about exercise technique, not medical advice. If you have an injury or a health condition, your healthcare provider is the right person to ask.