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K-3rd Grade Squat Handout- Sophia LaRe

Handout · Grade 1 · English

K-3rd Grade Squat Handout- Sophia LaRe

Squat Form and Movement Guide

What Is a Squat?

A squat is a movement where you bend your knees and hips to lower your body, then push through your feet to stand back up. Check out Figure 1 to see how to practice great squat form!
Figure 1: Demonstration of a proper squat with flat feet, knees tracking toes, and chest held high
Figure 1: Demonstration of a proper squat with flat feet, knees tracking toes, and chest held high


4 Things to Remember

  1. Keep Your Feet Down: Keep your whole foot on the floor—toes, heels, and everything in between!
  1. Keep Your Back Strong: Keep your chest up tall and your back in a strong, natural position.
  1. Knees Follow Toes: Your knees should always point in the exact same direction as your toes.
  1. Sit Down Low: Lower your body smoothly, just like you are sitting back into a chair.

3 Squat Cues

  • 👣 “Feet flat!” — Keep your whole foot pressed firmly into the floor.
  • 🦵 “Knees follow toes!” — Never let your knees collapse inward.
  • 🪑 “Sit down, stand tall!” — Lower your body with control, then drive up tall (as shown in Figure 2).
Figure 2: Sitting back smoothly like sitting in a chair, then standing tall
Figure 2: Sitting back smoothly like sitting in a chair, then standing tall


Common Mistakes and Corrections

Common Fault
How to Fix It
Heels lift off the floor
Say: “Keep your whole foot flat!”
Knees fall inward
Say: “Knees follow your toes!”
Back rounds or slouches
Say: “Chest up and strong back!”

How the Body Moves

  • Going Down: Hips and knees bend. Muscles lengthen under control (eccentric action).
  • At the Bottom: Hold balance with feet flat and back strong (isometric stability).
  • Going Up: Straighten hips and knees by pushing into the ground (concentric action).
  • Plane of Motion: Movement takes place mainly in the sagittal plane.
Muscles Used:
  • Quadriceps (thighs): Straighten the knees.
  • Gluteus Maximus (glutes): Extend the hips to help you stand up.
  • Hamstrings (back of thighs): Assist hip movement and control descent.
  • Core Muscles (torso): Keep your trunk steady and upright.

"I Can" Checklist

  1. I can keep my whole foot flat on the floor.
  1. I can keep my knees pointing toward my toes.
  1. I can keep my chest up and back strong.
  1. I can squat down smoothly with control.
  1. I can push through my feet to stand back up tall.

Squat Form and Movement Guide

Squat Form and Movement Guide

What Is a Squat?

A squat is a movement where you bend your knees and hips to lower your body, then push through your feet to stand back up. Check out Figure 1 to see how to practice great squat form!

4 Things to Remember

  1. Keep Your Feet Down: Keep your whole foot on the floor—toes, heels, and everything in between!
  1. Keep Your Back Strong: Keep your chest up tall and your back in a strong, natural position.
  1. Knees Follow Toes: Your knees should always point in the exact same direction as your toes.
  1. Sit Down Low: Lower your body smoothly, just like you are sitting back into a chair.
Figure 1: Demonstration of a proper squat with flat feet, knees tracking toes, and chest held high
Figure 1: Demonstration of a proper squat with flat feet, knees tracking toes, and chest held high


3 Squat Cues

  • 👣 “Feet flat!” — Keep your whole foot pressed firmly into the floor.
  • 🦵 “Knees follow toes!” — Never let your knees collapse inward.
  • 🪑 “Sit down, stand tall!” — Lower your body with control, then drive up tall (as shown in Figure 2).
Figure 2: Sitting back smoothly like sitting in a chair, then standing tall
Figure 2: Sitting back smoothly like sitting in a chair, then standing tall


Common Mistakes and Corrections

Common Fault
How to Fix It
Heels lift off the floor
Say: “Keep your whole foot flat!”
Knees fall inward
Say: “Knees follow your toes!”
Back rounds or slouches
Say: “Chest up and strong back!”

How the Body Moves

  • Going Down: Hips and knees bend. Muscles lengthen under control (eccentric action).
  • At the Bottom: Hold balance with feet flat and back strong (isometric stability).
  • Going Up: Straighten hips and knees by pushing into the ground (concentric action).
  • Plane of Motion: Movement takes place mainly in the sagittal plane.
Muscles Used:
  • Quadriceps (thighs): Straighten the knees.
  • Gluteus Maximus (glutes): Extend the hips to help you stand up.
  • Hamstrings (back of thighs): Assist hip movement and control descent.
  • Core Muscles (torso): Keep your trunk steady and upright.

"I Can" Checklist

  1. I can keep my whole foot flat on the floor.
  1. I can keep my knees pointing toward my toes.
  1. I can keep my chest up and back strong.
  1. I can squat down smoothly with control.
  1. I can push through my feet to stand back up tall.

K-3 Squat Handout

Squat Form and Movement Guide

What Is a Squat?

A squat is a movement where you bend your knees and hips to lower your body, then push through your feet to stand back up. Check out Figure 1 to see how to practice great squat form!

4 Things to Remember

  1. Keep Your Feet Down: Keep your whole foot on the floor—toes, heels, and everything in between!
  1. Keep Your Back Strong: Keep your chest up tall and your back in a strong, natural position.
  1. Knees Follow Toes: Your knees should always point in the exact same direction as your toes.
  1. Sit Down Low: Lower your body smoothly, just like you are sitting back into a chair.
Figure 1: Demonstration of a proper squat with flat feet, knees tracking toes, and chest held high
Figure 1: Demonstration of a proper squat with flat feet, knees tracking toes, and chest held high


3 Squat Cues

  • “Make dinosaur feet!”— Keep your whole foot pressed firmly into the floor.
  • “Knees follow toes!” — Never let your knees collapse inward.
  • “Down like a ninja, up like a superhero!” — Lower your body with control, then drive up tall (as shown in Figure 2).
Figure 2: A young boy sitting back smoothly like sitting in a chair, then standing tall
Figure 2: A young boy sitting back smoothly like sitting in a chair, then standing tall


Common Mistakes and Corrections

Common Fault
How to Fix It
Heels lift off the floor
Say: “Keep your whole foot flat!”
Knees fall inward
Say: “Knees follow your toes!”
Back rounds or slouches
Say: “Chest up and strong back!”

How the Body Moves

  • Going Down: Hips and knees bend. Muscles lengthen under control (eccentric action).
  • At the Bottom: Hold balance with feet flat and back strong (isometric stability).
  • Going Up: Straighten hips and knees by pushing into the ground (concentric action).
  • Plane of Motion: Movement takes place mainly in the sagittal plane.
Muscles Used:
  • Quadriceps (thighs): Straighten the knees.
  • Gluteus Maximus (glutes): Extend the hips to help you stand up.
  • Hamstrings (back of thighs): Assist hip movement and control descent.
  • Core Muscles (torso): Keep your trunk steady and upright.

"I Can" Checklist

  1. I can keep my whole foot flat on the floor.
  1. I can keep my knees pointing toward my toes.
  1. I can keep my chest up and back strong.
  1. I can squat down smoothly with control.
  1. I can push through my feet to stand back up tall.