If you train with me, you squat. That is pretty much non-negotiable. Some variation of the squat appears in nearly every programme I write, and I am not going to apologise for it. It is, hands down, the single most useful movement you can learn in a gym.
The most transferable movement there is
Think about how often you squat outside of the gym. Getting out of a chair. Picking something up off the floor. Sprinting after a bus. Playing with your kids. Every sport demands lower-body strength and the ability to produce force from a stable position. The squat trains all of that. It builds your quads, glutes and hamstrings. It strengthens your core because you have to brace your trunk under load. And it improves your ankle and hip mobility if you do it properly through a full range of motion.
For my athletes, the carryover is massive. A cricketer who can squat well generates more power through the crease. A footballer who squats heavy changes direction faster. A golfer with strong legs produces more clubhead speed. It is not complicated. Strong legs make you better at everything.
How I scale it
People hear "squats" and picture someone grinding out a heavy barbell back squat. That is one option. But I have members who started with a goblet squat holding a 4kg kettlebell, and that was the right place for them to begin.
For a complete beginner, I will often start with a box squat or a goblet squat. The box gives you a target and takes away the fear of "how low do I go?" The goblet position keeps the weight in front and naturally encourages a more upright torso. Once someone is confident there, we progress to a front squat, a back squat, or even a split squat depending on what their goals are.
For the more experienced members, I programme tempo squats, pause squats, or heavier sets of three to five reps. The movement stays the same. The challenge keeps going up.
The mistakes I see constantly
The biggest one is cutting depth. If you are not getting your hip crease to at least knee level, you are leaving results on the table. You are also loading your knees in a partial range which is not great long term. Another common one is letting your chest drop forward. If your squat looks like a good morning, we need to work on your bracing and your ankle mobility.
I also see people chasing weight way too early. Nobody cares how much you squat if your form falls apart at the bottom. I would rather you squat 60kg beautifully than 100kg with your heels coming off the floor and your knees caving in.
Why every week matters
Squatting once a fortnight is not going to cut it. Like any skill, you need regular practice. That is why I include it frequently. You get better at the movement, your body adapts, and the gains follow. If you turn up twice a week and squat properly in both sessions, you will be stronger in a month. I have seen it happen too many times to count.
So yes, you are squatting again this week. And next week. Get used to it.