Proper squats?

JuliaH21

So usually doing squats I just feel it on the top of my thighs. I've read the wider you have your feet spread, the more you'll feel it in the back of your thighs. Is there a too-wide stance, or just anything I'm comfortable with? I don't really practice it anymore (I should, it really helped with my last pregnancy and labor), but I was doing tai chi and am comfortable with a pretty wide stance. 

Armyratt

I prefer a wider stance with squats. I feel more in my butt. As long as your comfortable with the stance and your not feeling off balance then you should be fine. Just listen to your body.

jhunter89

I do a lot of plie (ballet) squats where your feet are turned out to the sides and you have a wide stance. They're supposed to help your inner thighs. 

That said, the best kind of squats to be doing now during pregnancy (and probably all the time) are ones that target your butt so that your pelvic floor is strengthened. Here's an awesome article about why this kind of squat is beneficial and how to do them properly:

 

https://www.alignedandwell.com/katysays/the-hunting-and-gathering-mama/#sthash.RFZ1NCFf.dpbs 

JuliaH21

Kiwi110:

There are a LOT of ways to do proper squat variations, but with any squat, you should feel activation/work going on in the glutes, hamstrings, and quads (butt, backs of thighs, and tops of thighs). If you turn your toes out wider, you'll also feel your inner thighs a lot. 

On the way down, try to get your thighs to at least parallel to the floor if you can do it without pain and without rounding your back.At the bottom of the squat, make sure your abs are engaged before you start to stand, and make sure you're really squeezing the glutes and think about pushing the floor away as you stand straight up, which will help get all the proper muscles firing. At the top, you should have your glutes and abs tight (I use the 'pinch a coin between your glutes' cue with clients), standing up straight without leaning back.  

Wide or narrow squats are fine; without seeing a picture or video, I obviously can't make specific recommendations based on your movement patterns and any movement issues, but if you feel comfortable, are keeping your knees in line with your toes (whatever width of stance you use), are lifting the chest (having the upper body at an angle is just fine as long as it's not all rounded over), and remembering to breath, you can be pretty confident that you're going to see a benefit and have the posture to prevent injury. 

Wow, sorry that was so long and maybe more than you asked for. I'm a trainer, and squats are awesome so I want everyone to do them! 

Thanks for this, not too much info at all, it's actually really helpful