Squats Calories Burned, Benefits, and Variations

Squats are among the most effective exercises for building lower body strength and burning calories. They work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making them a staple in any workout routine.

Whether you’re aiming for strength, endurance, or weight loss, squats offer various benefits and can be performed in multiple forms.

In this blog, we’ll explore the calories burned during squats, the benefits of squats, and popular variations such as barbell squats, sumo squats, and more.

We’ll also show how the Hint app, with its Pro Workouts feature and Hint Pro and Hint Premium subscriptions, can help you track your squats and improve your performance through structured workout logging and progress tracking.

Calories Burned During Squats

The number of calories burned in squats depends on factors like your weight, the intensity of your workout, and the number of repetitions. On average:

• 20 squats burn around 6-10 calories for most people, depending on body weight and pace.
• 50 squats calories burned: Approximately 15-25 calories.
• 100 squats calories burned: Expect to burn around 30-50 calories, making squats an efficient fat-burning exercise when done in large numbers.

Using the Hint app, you can log your squat sessions and track how many calories you burn, helping you stay on top of your fitness goals.

Benefits of Squats

Squats are a compound movement, meaning they engage multiple muscle groups at once. Here are some of the key benefits of squats:

• Builds leg strength: Squats target the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, helping to develop stronger, more toned legs.
• Improves core stability: Squats engage the core muscles, improving overall stability and balance.
• Boosts metabolism: Squats activate large muscle groups, which can increase your metabolic rate and help with fat burning.
• Functional fitness: Squats mimic everyday movements like sitting and standing, making them practical for real-life strength.

The Pro Workouts feature on the Hint app helps you log different types of squats, track your progress, and ensure you're maximizing these benefits in your workout routine.

Popular Squat Variations

Adding variations to your squat routine can help you target different muscle groups, prevent workout monotony, and increase your fitness level. Here are some of the most effective squat variations:

Barbell Squats

A classic squat variation, barbell squats involve placing a weighted barbell across your shoulders, adding resistance to the movement and increasing strength gains in your legs, glutes, and core.

Sumo Squats

Sumo squats involve standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width and toes pointing outward.

This targets the inner thighs and glutes more effectively than standard squats. When done with weights, like sumo squats with dumbbells or a barbell, the intensity and muscle engagement increase.

• Sumo squats benefit: Improved inner thigh strength, glute activation, and hip mobility.
• Sumo squats muscles worked: Inner thighs, glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

Dumbbell Squats

Dumbbell squats are a beginner-friendly variation that adds resistance without the need for a barbell. Simply hold dumbbells at your sides or shoulders while performing a squat.

Split Squats

Split squats (also known as Bulgarian split squats) involve positioning one leg behind you on an elevated surface, isolating each leg for more focused muscle engagement in the quads and glutes.

Hack Squats

Hack squats are a machine-based variation that takes pressure off the lower back, focusing more on the quads.

Pistol Squats

A challenging single-leg squat variation, pistol squats test your strength, balance, and flexibility, making them ideal for advanced fitness enthusiasts.

Sissy Squats

Sissy squats isolate the quadriceps while requiring less hip and glute engagement, making them great for building quad strength.

How Many Squats Per Day?

The answer to how many squats should I do a day depends on your fitness goals.

If you’re a beginner, starting with 50-100 squats per day can help build endurance and strength. More advanced individuals may benefit from doing 100 squats a day or even more, depending on their training level.

Using the Hint app, you can log your daily squat count and set goals for how many squats to complete each day, ensuring you stay consistent and track progress toward your fitness goals.

Squats for Weight Loss

If you’re looking to shed pounds, squats can be a great addition to your routine. Squats for weight loss are effective because they engage large muscle groups, burn calories, and increase your metabolic rate.

By tracking your squats and calories burned through the Hint app, you can measure your progress and see how squats contribute to your overall weight loss journey.

Common Squat Injuries and How to Avoid Them

While squats are highly beneficial, improper form can lead to issues such as knee pain after squats, thigh pain after squats, or even lower back pain after squats. To avoid these injuries:

• Warm up properly: Include stretches and mobility exercises before starting your squat routine.
• Focus on form: Keep your knees aligned with your toes, engage your core, and avoid excessive forward lean.
• Start light: Gradually increase weight as you become comfortable with your form.

If you experience discomfort or soreness, the Hint app allows you to track your form and reps, making adjustments as needed to prevent injury.

Advanced Squat Variations for Strength

For those looking to push their limits, here are some advanced squat variations to add to your workout:

Jump squats

Jump squats improve explosive power and cardiovascular fitness while building leg strength.

Smith machine squats

Provide support during squats by guiding your movement and adding extra stability, making it easier to focus on form.

Explosive squats: A plyometric variation that improves power and leg strength.

Wide squats: Target more of the inner thighs and glutes, improving flexibility and range of motion.

Each of these variations can be logged in the Hint app, allowing you to track your progress and explore new challenges in your squat routine.

Squats vs Lunges

When comparing squats and lunges, both exercises are effective for building leg strength, but they target muscles differently.

Lunges tend to isolate one leg at a time, focusing on balance and stability, while squats engage both legs and are better for building overall lower body strength.

You can combine both exercises in your workout routine and log them using the Hint app, which helps you track your lower body workouts comprehensively.

How the Hint Pro and Hint Premium Subscriptions Can Help

The Hint app offers powerful tools to track your fitness journey, but upgrading to Hint Pro or Hint Premium unlocks additional features that can take your workouts to the next level.

Here’s what each subscription offers:

• Hint Pro: Unlock advanced calorie tracking, including the ability to adjust daily calorie goals based on your squat workouts. You also gain access to detailed workout summaries, helping you optimize your routine.

• Hint Premium: In addition to the features of Hint Pro, Hint Premium offers unlimited consultations with expert dietitians, personalized workout recommendations, and access to advanced nutrition tracking.

  This helps you tailor your workouts and diet to meet your specific fitness goals, whether that’s weight loss, muscle gain, or general fitness.

With Hint Pro and Hint Premium, you can easily track your squat variations, calories burned, and overall progress, all while receiving expert guidance to help you achieve your goals.

FAQ Section

1. How many calories do 100 squats burn?

On average, 100 squats burn around 30-50 calories, depending on your weight and intensity.

2. How many squats should I do per day?

Beginners can start with 50-100 squats per day and increase as they become more comfortable with the movement.

3. What are the benefits of sumo squats?

Sumo squats target the inner thighs and glutes, offering benefits such as increased hip mobility, improved inner thigh strength, and enhanced glute activation.

4. Can squats increase height?

No, squats do not directly increase height. However, they improve posture and muscle strength, which can make you appear taller and more upright.

Conclusion

Squats are one of the best exercises for building strength, burning calories, and improving overall fitness. With a wide variety of squat variations like barbell squats, sumo squats, and pistol squats, you can continuously challenge yourself and target different muscles.

The Hint app allows you to log your squats, track calories burned, and monitor your progress, helping you stay on track with your fitness goals.

Whether you’re aiming to burn fat, build strength, or just stay active, squats are a must-have exercise in your workout routine.

Download the Hint app today and start optimizing your squat routine to achieve your fitness goals!