It’s been said that skiers have the best butts of any athlete. Well, that’s probably because we don’t skip leg day. Meaning, we do squats.

Ahhhh squats, probably the most revered as well as reviled of exercises. They’re such a pain to execute, and so much goes into form that it requires a bit of technical capability. Not to mention the fact that you won’t be able to walk for a week after a good squatting session.

On the other hand, they’re so valuable! Squats are one of those winner-takes-all exercises where they essentially work so many different muscles that it’s foolish not to do them.

Ready to step to the plate(s)? Here are some pro-tips:

-Watch this video:

-Watch your feet. Foot placement is key. Adjust them so that they’re a bit more than shoulder width, and make sure you’re not stagger stepped.
-Chest up, shoulders back. Drop your hips so your butt sticks out. Your back will thank you when you break out the heavy weights.
-When you dip, go parallel. My hardcore lifter friends always advice “a** to grass,” which is essentially as low as possible, but they’re crazy, and if you’re just beginning, focus on getting your thighs to be parallel to the ground.
-Switch it up every once in a while. Use lighter weights and higher reps. Do super slow reps (5 seconds down, 5 seconds up), for extra muscle building. Why not try front squats?
-Start slowly. No need to risk injury. Lift less than you think you can the first few times and really, really, perfect your form. Your form will come in handy when you’re putting up the big numbers.