Squats are one of the most effective exercises for packing size not only on your legs, but on your entire body. However, if you get the technique wrong you'll end up with a lot of pain in the knees (and back) – which might stop you training your legs altogether.

There are several technique flaws, but the one that's most common is called �knee squatting″. By that I mean the first downward motion is a forward bending of the knees. This is not correct. The first downward motion in performing a squat should be a backward movement of the hips. In other words, you should squat with the same form that you use when sitting on the toilet, but don’t lean forward…to avoid this look straight ahead at the mirror and keep your back arched. The best way to perfect a good squat technique is to use a lighter weight and get someone experienced in the gym to watch you, they’ll very quickly spot bad technique and hopefully put you right.

It's also important to remember that unless you're training for a specific sport that requires deep knee bends (Olympic lifting), there's no real need to squat all the way down to the floor. Studies show that the thigh muscles are activated when you squat to the point where your knees are parallel with the floor. Going any deeper recruits the muscles in the hips rather than the legs. Remember though, get the squat right and you’ll pack on more leg muscles than any other exercise.

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