10 Unique Squat Variations: Animal & Ancient-Inspired Exercises

Looking for squat variations that go beyond the standard back squat? These 10 animal- and ancient-inspired squat variations challenge your legs, hips, core, balance, coordination, and mobility in very different ways.

Squats are one of the most useful movement patterns in strength training. Depending on the variation, load, stance, and depth, they can build lower-body strength and muscle, improve muscular endurance, challenge balance, and train usable ranges of motion.

And there is no single "perfect" squat. Your proportions, mobility, training history, and goals all influence which stance and variation feel best. Modern squat research also shows that changing stance width, foot angle, trunk position, and depth changes joint loading and muscular demands.

That makes squat variations useful for more than simply keeping workouts interesting. They let you emphasize different qualities while continuing to train the same fundamental squat pattern.

For this list, we're keeping things fun with 10 variations inspired by animals, warriors, traditional training, and old-school movement. Some are strength exercises, some are conditioning drills, and one is primarily a mobility position.

10 Animal & Ancient-Inspired Squat Variations

Some of these movements work best with weights, while others are excellent bodyweight leg exercises. For each one, we'll cover how to perform it, difficulty, what it trains, and a practical starting set-and-rep range.

Quick Comparison

1. Hindu Squats

As a steel mace company, we figured we’d start with a squat variation that was birthed from the same land as the mace.

Weights or No Weights? No weights. This is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do Hindu Squats:

Start with your feet hip-width apart. Put your hands straight forward in front of you, aligned with your shoulders. Row your hands towards your chest while breathing in. Once your hands are near your chest, you are going to squat down and roll your hands/arms down, extending them past your back towards your feet. This motion will be simultaneous with the squat so once you reach the bottom of the squat your hands will be near your feet, at which time your will swing them up to parallel with your shoulder while also pushing up from the squat. Pause up at the top, and repeat.

Note: The form on Hindu Squats is much different from your typical back squat. You will be on your toes as you squat down and push back up. So it’s ok to keep your heels off the ground. This will also mean your knees are out in front of your toes.

Make sure you breathe in on the way down and out on the way up.

There is a very coordinated effort between the shoulders and hips during the Hindu Squat. 

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate. It’s a movement pattern that will take some time getting used to but we wouldn’t call it difficult.

What are Hindu Squats good for?

Hindu squats are a rhythmic bodyweight variation that challenges the quads, glutes, calves, coordination, and muscular endurance. Because the heels rise and the knees travel forward, they place different demands on the lower body than a conventional squat.

Programming: Start with 2-3 sets of 10-20 controlled reps. Experienced trainees can build toward higher-rep sets, but there is no requirement to perform 100 reps at a time.

2. Sumo Squat

Most people know about Sumo Deadlifts but they aren’t familiar with the Sumo Squat. This is a fun exercise where you can stomp your feet into position like a sumo wrestler and make your class or anyone around you chuckle with curiosity before you start the exercise.

Weights or No Weights? Optional. For this one you can use a dumbbell or kettlebell, and even a barbell. Of course, it can also be done with just your bodyweight.

How to do Sumo Squats:

Take a stance wider than shoulder width and turn your toes outward to a comfortable angle. Brace your trunk, then bend your knees and hips together as you descend. Let your knees track in the same general direction as your toes. Squat as deeply as you can control without pain, then drive through the floor to stand.

From here, you can pulse at the bottom if you’d like, and return to the starting position. Then repeat.

This movement can also be done on your toes! This will put your calves into overtime. For this one, the instructions are the same, but you should be on your toes with your heels slightly off the ground for the entire set.

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate. The form of a sumo squat is quite easy to learn as most people have hip mobility for this one.

What are sumo squats good for?

Sumo squats train the quads and glutes while the wider stance also increases the contribution of the hip adductors. The hamstrings and trunk contribute to the movement, but the squat remains primarily a knee- and hip-extension exercise.

Programming: 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps with weight for strength and hypertrophy, or 12-20 reps with lighter resistance for muscular endurance.

3. Barbarian Squat

This is one of our favorite variations of the squat because it incorporates two of our favorite tools, steel maces or steel clubs.

Not to mention, it has a very primal, warrior nature to it. You’ll see exactly what we mean by watching the video below.

Weights or No Weights? Steel Maces or Steel Clubs. You’ll need a weight with a lever (handle) for Barbarian Squats.

How to do Barbarian Squats:

Gripping the Mace - Stack your hands on the mace like you would a baseball bat. The mace or steel club should be directly at your center in a vertical position.

Stand with your feet hip-to-shoulder width apart; neutral spine. Squat ready position. Squat down to parallel (or ass-to-grass) while keeping your arms in front you and the mace balanced vertically. When you come up towards the top of the squat, pull the mace directly over your head until the mace is centered vertically behind your back. Make sure you are keeping your ribs tucked on the back portion of the movement.

Note: Make sure you have complete control of the mace or club. Don’t let it control you!

What is a mace?

Difficulty Level: Intermediate. Start with a lighter weight mace or club as you want to be able to control the weight when it goes behind your head. The club should not be hitting your back...that can happen if you are using one that is too heavy for you.

What are Barbarian Squats good for?

Barbarian squats combine a squat with a dynamic mace or club movement, so they challenge the quads, glutes, trunk, shoulders, upper back, and grip while demanding coordination. Because the implement travels behind the head, use a load you can control smoothly rather than chasing heavy weight.

Programming: 2-4 sets of 6-12 controlled reps. Master the squat and mace/club movement separately before combining them.

History of the Maces - Ancient Weapon Turned Powerful Fitness Tool.

4. Ninja Squats

Ninja Squats are one of the best exercises to work your inner thighs. Your inner thigh muscles are vital to sports performance, hip stabilization and creating explosive power from side to side...The adductor machine has nothing on this.

Weights or No Weights? Optional. If you decide to use weights, you could use a dumbbell held vertically, a kettlebell held with two hands on the bell instead of the handle, or a medicine ball. Another option is a barbell across your upper back.

How to do Ninja Squats:

Begin in a stable stance with your feet set wide (as far as you can). You should be standing straight up with your core tight. Shift your weight onto your heels.

Shift your weight toward your right leg and bend the right knee and hip while keeping the opposite leg long. Descend only as far as you can keep the working foot planted and maintain control. The straight leg's toes can face forward or rotate slightly upward depending on your mobility and the variation you prefer. A modest forward trunk lean is normal.

Now, extend your right hip and knee and push up to the starting position. Then repeat to the opposite side. Continue like this, alternating sides, for a set number of reps. For this exercise, we recommend 3 sets of 10 reps each side (total 20 reps each set).

Difficulty Level: Intermediate. It’s not that this exercise requires a lot of strength, as you won’t go too heavy on this one. So it’s not “difficult”. The reason we label it intermediate is that doing Ninja Squats with the correct form requires good hip mobility.

What are Ninja Squats good for?

This lateral squat variation strongly challenges the adductors, glutes, and quads while training strength through a side-to-side movement pattern. It also requires more hip and ankle mobility than a conventional squat. Only descend as far as you can while maintaining control.

Programming: 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps per side.

5. Goblet Squats

We chose to add the Goblet Squat into this post for two reasons. First, the word goblet just feels ancient. Second, the goblet squat is a fantastic exercise and probably the most well known of all the exercises featured here.

Weights or No Weights? Weights. You can use a kettlebell, holding it with two hands, palms on the bell or on the bottom of the handle. You can also use a dumbbell held vertically or even a medicine ball.

How to do Goblet Squats:

Start in a regular squat position; feet hip to shoulder width apart, neutral spine, core tight. Hold the kettlebell or dumbbell at chest level (not touching your chest) with both hands. Perform a typical squat without moving the position of the kettlebell. Return to the starting position. Repeat for a set number of reps.

Difficulty Level: Beginner.

What are Goblet Squats good for?

Goblet squats are excellent for learning the squat pattern and building the quads and glutes. Holding the load in front also requires the trunk and upper body to stabilize the weight.

The main limitation is loading: eventually your arms, grip, or ability to hold the implement may become the limiting factor before your legs do. That makes the barbell back squat or front squat easier to progressively load for maximal strength, but goblet squats can still build significant muscle and strength. They also work well as a finisher or in a circuit.

Programming: 3-4 sets of 6-15 reps.

6. Farmer Squats

To start the animal-inspired squat variations portion, let’s look at the man (or woman) behind the animals, the Farmer. As a farmer, you are going to picking up heavy things around the farm and carrying them around. To save your back from an injury, make sure you bend down to pick up heavy objects, like bags of grain or buckets of water, without rolling your back!

Farmer Squats are a leg blasting total body exercise that we think you are going to love.

Weights or No Weights? Weights. You are going to use two dumbbells for this one. Kettlebells work as well.

How to do Farmer Squats:

Start in a regular squat position, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended and on the outside of your legs. Perform a deep squat (just past parallel) and return to the starting position. This is it! Super simple. The dumbbells should be almost touching the ground on the bottom portion of the lift. You will want to make sure you are not rolling your back on this deep squat. Return to standing and repeat for a set number of reps.

Bonus! We love to add the Farmer Carry into this exercise, as farmers need to take the weight somewhere! After all, they aren’t just picking up and putting it back down. So let’s deliver these weights to where they need to go…

To increase difficulty, perform 10 reps then walk 10 meters and perform another 10 reps, then another 10 meters and another 10 reps. That’s one set!

Difficulty Level: Intermediate. If you add in the Farmer Carry, this is going to be a very brutal exercise that takes will power to finish because it is a long set. Your traps and grip are going to be working overtime. And that doesn’t even begin to tell you how your legs are going to feel.

What are Farmer Squats good for?

Farmer squats train the quads and glutes while the dumbbells add substantial grip and upper-back demand. Combining them with carries is an efficient way to add loaded conditioning without turning the squat itself into a high-speed exercise.

Programming: 3-4 sets of 6-12 squats. For the squat-and-carry version, try 6-10 squats followed by a 10-30 meter carry.

7. Frog Squats

Feeling froggy?

Frog squats are unique in form, and an effective way to target your lower body differently. This is going to be a squat variation that you are definitely not used to!

Weights or no weights? No weights, this is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do Frog Squats:

Stand upright with your feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing slightly outward. Hold your hands in front of you in a prayer position. From here, begin the exercise by pushing your hips back while bending at the knees into a squat. Your knees should be aligned with your toes at all times, they shouldn’t come forward on this squat variation. Pause when your glutes are past your knees (this one is a deep squat, so your glutes should be a few inches above the top of your ankle. From here, you will just be moving your hips and your butt up and down. When you come up, you will stop when your back is just about parallel with the ground (so you will be in a bent over squat position) then go right back down to the deep squat. You won’t be returning to standing position until you are done with the recommended reps.

Note: Do not roll your lower back. Try to keep your back straight as you would with the first portion of a deadlift. Inhale on the eccentric part of the movement, exhale on the concentric.

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate.

What are Frog Squats good for?

Frog squats keep continuous tension on the lower body and train the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and adductors through a repeated hip-rise pattern. They can also expose you to a deep squat position, although lasting mobility improvements come from progressively training ranges you can control rather than forcing depth.

Programming: 2-4 sets of 10-20 reps.

Related: Frog Jump Exercise Guide (Plyometric!)

8. Bear Crawl Squats

Grizzly bears are one of the most massive and powerful animals in the world, so for Bear Crawl Squats, we like to think of ourselves as Grizzlies.

This is going to be a squat unlike any other in this list of squat variations because you will be squatting horizontally, parallel with the ground…not vertically up and down. Sounds strange? You’ll see what we mean.

Weights or No Weights? No weights, this is a bodyweight exercise but you can wear a weighted vest for it.

How to do Bear Crawl Squats:

Get into a push up position with your hands at shoulder width and slightly forward. Your legs should be at 90 degrees with your knees in line with your hips. Back straight. You will push forward until your legs are pretty much straight and your hands are just below parallel with your shoulders (head about a foot in front of your hands); back should still be straight and parallel with the ground. Then return back to starting position but go a little bit deeper so that your glutes are going past your knees. You're going to continue this forward and back motion.

Note: Your knees should never touch the ground. They will be just a couple inches from the ground on the back portion of the movement and slightly higher on the front portion.

Difficulty Level: Beginner to Intermediate.

What are Bear Crawl Squats good for?

Bear crawl squats combine lower-body movement with an isometric upper-body support position. They challenge the quads, glutes, trunk, and shoulders and can work well in bodyweight conditioning circuits. Like any exercise, they contribute to calorie expenditure, but no individual movement specifically "burns fat."

Programming: 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps or 20-40 seconds.

9. Eagle Squats

Eagle Squats are inspired by yoga’s eagle pose. This is going to be a squat variation that challenges your balance through single leg movement. Practice this one enough and you will soar to the top of your fitness game.

Weights or No Weights? No weights, this is a bodyweight exercise.

How to do Eagle Squats:

Get into a standing position and cross your left leg over right and hook your left foot around the back of your right calf. Place your hands in prayer position in front of your chest, pressing them together. Lower down and sit as low into the pose as you can while keeping your chest up and shoulder back. Your body should be aligned with the working leg and the center of your face. Once you stabilize in the squatting position (you won’t be going too low on this one), return to up and then back down, repeating this movement for a set number of repetitions.

Note: Try to remain aligned the entire time, not leaning to one side. Essentially your head, chest, belly button, knee and foot should be aligned with each other the whole time.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate. This is a difficult exercise in that it challenges your balance big time. The Yogis out there will manage this one fairly easily, though, so we label it as “intermediate”.

What are Eagle Squats good for?

Eagle squats are primarily a balance and single-leg control challenge. The wrapped-leg position also changes the hip position and makes the exercise considerably less stable than a standard squat. Use a support if needed while learning it.

Programming: 2-3 sets of 5-10 controlled reps per side.

10. Mobility Squat Variation: Primal Squat (aka Primitive Squat)

The primal squat is a deep squat hold rather than a conventional strength exercise. It can be used to practice comfort and control in deep hip, knee, and ankle flexion.

Deep squatting is not a mandatory test of health or mobility, and not everyone's squat will look the same. Limb proportions, ankle dorsiflexion, hip anatomy, training history, and body dimensions all affect squat depth and stance.

Weights or No Weights? Usually no weight. A light counterbalance can make the position easier while you're learning it.

How to do Primal Squats:

Choose a comfortable stance, usually around shoulder width, and allow your toes to turn outward naturally if needed. Descend slowly while keeping your feet planted and your knees tracking with your toes. Your knees can travel forward past your toes; that is a normal part of many deep squat patterns.

Go only as deep as you can comfortably control. If your heels rise, try a slightly wider stance, turn your toes out a little more, hold onto a stable support, or temporarily elevate your heels while you work on the position.

You do not need to force an upright torso or perfectly straight-ahead feet. Squat mechanics vary between people.

Difficulty Level: Individual. Some people can comfortably sit in a deep squat with no practice, while others are limited by ankle or hip range of motion, body proportions, previous injury, or simply lack of exposure to the position.

What are Primal Squats good for?

A comfortable deep squat hold can be a useful way to practice lower-body range of motion and become more familiar with deep hip, knee, and ankle flexion. Resistance training performed through controlled ranges of motion can itself improve flexibility, so you do not need extremely long daily squat holds to maintain mobility.

Programming: Start with 20-60 seconds for 1-3 sets. Use it as part of a warm-up, mobility session, or movement break. There is no evidence-based requirement to hold a deep squat for 10 minutes or accumulate 20-30 minutes every day.

If deep squatting causes persistent hip, knee, ankle, or back pain, reduce the depth or choose another mobility exercise rather than forcing the position.

14 Challenging Steel Mace Squat Variations that will change the way you think about "leg day"

The Evolution of Fitness

Frequently Asked Questions

Do your knees have to stay behind your toes when you squat?

No. Forward knee travel is normal and often necessary, especially during deeper squats. Trying to prevent the knees from moving past the toes can shift more demand toward the hips and trunk. The better cue is to keep the feet stable and let the knees track naturally with the toes.

How wide should your squat stance be?

There is no universal stance. Hip anatomy, limb lengths, mobility, and the squat variation all matter. Start around shoulder width and adjust stance width and toe angle until you can squat comfortably and maintain control.

Are deep squats bad for your knees?

For healthy, trained individuals, current research does not support the blanket claim that deep squats are inherently harmful. Joint forces change with depth and load, so depth should match your mobility, training experience, goals, and symptoms.

Which squat variation is best for beginners?

The goblet squat and bodyweight squat are two of the easiest variations to learn and progress. From there, you can add wider stances, lateral squats, balance-focused movements, and more dynamic variations.

Can squat variations build muscle?

Yes. Squats can build the quads and glutes when they are progressively overloaded and performed with sufficient effort and training volume. The variation matters less than choosing a movement you can train consistently and progressively.

Do different squat variations "shock" your muscles?

No. Muscles do not need to be confused or shocked. Variation is useful when it changes the training stimulus, helps manage fatigue, addresses a specific goal, or simply makes training more enjoyable.

Final Thoughts

You do not need 10 different squats in every leg workout. Think of these as options. Pick one or two that match your goal, learn them well, and progressively make them more challenging through load, repetitions, range of motion, or better control.

Goblet and farmer squats are strong choices for straightforward strength work. Hindu and bear crawl squats fit conditioning. Ninja and primal squats expose you to different ranges and directions of movement. Eagle squats challenge balance, while Barbarian squats add the unique leverage and coordination demands of mace or club training.

Try these different types of squats at your next workout! Let us know if you have any other animal or ancient inspired squat variations in the comments below :)

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