With the festive period now firmly in the rear-view mirror, many people are getting back into familiar routines of healthier eating and renewed exercise goals.
For some, that means dusting off gym memberships or returning to bodyweight exercises at home. And few movements are as popular — or as deceptively simple — as the squat.
Squats are often seen as a universal exercise, but how many you should actually be doing can depend heavily on factors such as age, mobility and overall physical condition. According to personal trainer Natalya Alexeyenko, expectations need to shift as the body changes over time.
That doesn’t mean squats lose their value as you get older. Far from it. Dr Edward Laskowski, of the Mayo Clinic, has previously explained that daily squats can “help boost your performance in a variety of sports”, highlighting their importance across a wide range of fitness levels.
But before numbers come into the equation, technique matters.
Alexeyenko told the Daily Mail that squat performance begins with “setting your stance”, which means standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. From there, control becomes the priority. She stressed the importance of keeping the core engaged and advised exercisers to “lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor or as deep as your mobility allows, ensuring your knees track over your toes”.
For those aiming to complete a full squat, she added that it’s essential to “descend slowly and push through your heels to return to the starting position”, while also “avoiding momentum”.
Once form is established, attention can turn to volume — and this is where age plays a significant role.
According to Alexeyenko, men aged between 20 and 30 should be aiming for around 50 squats in one minute, while women in the same age bracket should target 45. As the body moves into its thirties, those numbers begin to drop. Both men and women aged 31 to 40 are advised to complete ten fewer squats than their younger counterparts – so, 35 in a minute.
The decline continues into the forties. Women in this age group should be aiming for 25 squats in 60 seconds, while men are set a slightly higher target of 30. By the time people reach their fifties, the recommended totals fall again, with men advised to complete 25 squats and women 20.
For those in their sixties, Alexeyenko suggests keeping the number even lower, recommending no more than 15 squats in one minute. She said this approach can help “maintain mobility and reduce the risk of falls”.
She also warned that discomfort during the movement shouldn’t be ignored, adding: “If the lower back feels tight, it can pull the hips upward, limiting depth and proper alignment.”
Beyond the numbers, squats continue to offer a wide range of benefits at any age. According to WebMD, squat exercises aren’t just for athletes and can be built into a regular exercise routine. They strengthen the lower body by targeting the glutes and quadriceps, while also engaging the core.
Squats activate a broad range of muscle groups, including the hip muscles, calves, hamstrings and obliques. They also burn calories and may help with weight loss, while strengthening the tendons, bones and ligaments around the leg muscles. This, in turn, can lower the chances of knee and ankle injuries and help make the knees more stable.
There are longer-term benefits too. Squats may help boost bone mineral density, strengthening the skeleton, particularly in the spine and lower body. They also improve flexibility, which naturally decreases with age as tendons, muscles and ligaments become less elastic.
WebMD also notes that squats can have visible benefits, helping to shape the legs and buttocks by targeting the glute and inner thigh muscles. As strength improves, posture and balance may improve alongside it.
How To Squat Correctly
However, proper form remains essential. Poor technique can place unnecessary strain on the spine and knees over time. WebMD advises standing with feet apart and parallel, lifting the chest, bending the knees to a 90-degree angle and placing weight through the heels, while keeping the knees behind the toes and the upper body upright.
For beginners, chair squats can offer a safer introduction to the movement. And for anyone new to exercise, WebMD advises speaking to a doctor before getting started, or working with a professional trainer to ensure correct form.
Ultimately, squats are adaptable, effective and accessible — but knowing how many to do, and how to do them properly, can make all the difference.
Featured image credit: SportManual
