Do Squats Make Your Butt Bigger?

Squatting is a very popular exercise right now. You might hear about people doing really heavy squats in the gym, or maybe you see 100-day squat challenges on Instagram.

Some people claim that squats have given them a bigger, rounder butt, while others say that squats have made their hamstrings and quadriceps bigger.

I personally don’t insist on squats because I know that for some female body types, doing squats means getting bigger legs. And a lot of women I talk to would actually like to get smaller thighs. I’m not saying that squats are bad or anything like that but the fact is that they work your quads. And since different people have different fitness goals, I think we should respect that. :)

But since there seems to be a lot of confusion about squats, I wanted to clear it up and answer your questions! And I’ll tell you the answer to “do squats make your butt bigger?” question.

THE BASICS: WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT SQUATS

Squats can have lots of benefits for the body! They are a popular exercise because they work so many different parts of the body, including the butt, thighs, lower back, ankles, calves, and core.

You can do them with or without weights, and you might even see them as an interval move in cardio workouts too!

Squatting with proper form will:

• Make your legs, glutes, and other muscles (even your core) stronger and bigger.
• Keep your joints and bones healthy.
• Improve your lower body’s ability to move with strength and agility.

Unfortunately, it can be hard for some people to squat properly and really activate their glute muscles. Squatting incorrectly can lead to:

• Injuries, especially down the leg and in the lower back
• Extra stress in your joints and ligaments. Many people who squat incorrectly report lower back and knee pain.
• Working the wrong muscles. Squatting with improper form just won’t give you good results. Bad form means that you won’t be working your butt!

SOME BASIC TIPS TO SQUAT PROPERLY

If you want to squat correctly, try the following:

• Start with your feet in a position that feels natural to you. Most people keep their feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Try to keep your feet parallel or turned slightly outward. Again, this is up to you and what feels right to your body.
• Pull in your stomach and tense your abs. Your core should be activated.
• Keep your eyes straight ahead so your neck is long. Don’t look up or down.
• Stand tall.
• Stick your butt back as you lower into a squat.
• Push your knees apart as you squat down and up.
• Lower down into the squat slowly(try counting to 4 on your way down).

SOME COMMON SQUATTING PROBLEMS I SEE

These are some of the most common mistakes people make when they’re trying to squat.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR KNEES

Make sure you aren’t starting from your knees. This can put a lot of extra stress on them. Try to sit back to begin your squat, instead of bending at the knees.

Also, make sure your knees aren’t caving inward during your squat. Try to keep them in line with your feet or pushed slightly outwards. You might find that, as you go deeper, your knees turn inward. But it’s better to have a shallow squat with proper form than risk hurting your knees with a deep, but incorrect, squat.

Also, make sure that your knees are completely stable as you move up and down – they shouldn’t be wobbling. If they are, decrease the weight you are carrying.

DON’T HUNCH YOUR SHOULDERS

It is easy to ignore your upper body when you’re doing a squat. After all, squats are a lower-body workout. But it is important not to ignore your upper body and back. Make sure that your chest is open and your shoulders are relaxed.

Looking straight ahead at a point on the floor in front of you will help you keep your back and neck straight. :)

LIFT FROM YOUR HEELS NOT YOUR TOES

Make sure that your heels are pressed into the floor and not lifting up.

Your body should be lifting up from the heel to complete a squat. You should actually be able to wiggle your toes. Doing this will help you use your glutes, not your knees, and will help you get a rounder butt.

WILL SQUATS MAKE MY BUTT BIGGER?

Yes, they will, although how much bigger depends on your body type and the type of squats you do. Generally, the heavier you lift, the quicker your butt will grow. 

Squats mostly work your glute muscles and your thigh muscles. When you do squats (or any type of resistance training), small tears occur in the muscles. As the tears repair, the muscle becomes stronger and bigger.

However, different people are going to respond to this differently. Here some questions to ask yourself to help determine how squats will impact your butt:

DO YOU BUILD MUSCLE EASILY?

Endomorph and Mesomorph body types will probably notice changes in their lower body after just two weeks of doing consistent squats a few times a week. These body types tend to gain muscle relatively quickly, and Endomorphs especially may be naturally somewhat curvy in their lower body.

Ectomorphs, who tend to be slimmer and struggle to gain weight or muscle, may find that it takes more work and time to see their butt getting curvier from squats.

If you are an Ectomorph and you’re hoping to grow your butt (not just tone it), you’ll probably see faster results from squatting with weights.

HOW HEAVY ARE YOU LIFTING?

Bodyweight squats are excellent for toning the butt, helping it look a little rounder and more lifted. But, if you’re wanting to make your butt bigger and you don’t mind getting your legs bigger in the process, lifting with weights will be more efficient.

HOW MANY SQUATS ARE REQUIRED TO GET A BIGGER BUTT?

Try doing squats at least twice a week for a couple of weeks. Most body types will notice their butt has gotten bigger since then. However, significant changes will take more time.

WILL SQUATS MAKE MY LEGS AND THIGHS BIGGER?

Yes, as I mentioned, squats will make your thighs bigger. Squats work the muscles in your thighs, not just your butt.

The same principles that I’ve mentioned for growing your butt are true for your legs too. If you squat, you will grow your leg muscles.

If you still want to build your booty but without building your quads, try some of my butt workouts! :)

RELATED POST: HOW TO GET A BIGGER BOOTY IN ONE WEEK (WITHOUT BULKING UP YOUR QUADS)

WILL SQUATS MAKE MY HIPS BIGGER OR SMALLER?

Several muscles make up the hip, including your glutes, the adductor muscles on the inside of your thigh, the iliopsoas muscle on the front of your leg, the tensor fasciae latae muscle on the side of your butt and upper thigh, and your rectus femoris muscle which is on the front of your hips.

Squats work all of these muscles in the hip, especially your glutes and the muscles that run down the front of your leg. Your inner and outer thigh muscles aren’t worked as hard with regular squats, but you still do use them some. Single-leg and wide-leg squats will engage them even more.

Just like with your butt or thighs, as you use your muscles in your hip, these muscles will become stronger, more toned, and eventually bigger.

WILL DOING SQUATS HELP ME LOSE WEIGHT?

Squats can help you lose weight. Squatting is a form of resistance training, which is basically just a type of exercise that strengthens the muscles in the body, using body weight or weights. Because squats use the biggest muscles in your body, squats burn a lot of calories. 

Resistance training also increases your resting metabolic rate, which helps your body burn more calories. And the faster your metabolism is, the easier it will be for you to lose weight!

The best way to increase your resting metabolic rate is by building muscle mass. And to build muscle you need to do resistance training! Since squats are a type of resistance training, technically they can speed up your weight loss.

WHAT TO REMEMBER ABOUT SQUATS

This was a lot of information! Here are a few takeaways about squats:

• Depending on your fitness goals, squats can be great for your lower body.
• Because squats are a type of resistance training, they can help you raise your resting metabolic rate and help you lose weight.
• Squats will make your butt more toned, rounder, and bigger. But your body type, body fat, workout frequency, and how heavy you lift will make a difference too!
• Your butt isn’t the only thing to get bigger. Doing squats will also make the muscles in your thighs and hips grow!

I hope that this blog gave you some helpful information on squatting and how it will impact your body! Now you can choose if you want to incorporate this popular move in your workout routine. :)

Love,

Rachael xx