Squats [1]. Love them or hate them, you got to admit they are here to stay. A simple and extremely effective exercise, squats can become a little dull. Here are some ways you can spice up your squats and make them more challenging, too.

• Lift one heel at a time as you lift and lower your hips. Also try lifting both heels together – this will challenge your balance.
• Instead of lifting and lowering your bum, hold the lowered squat position for 15 to 30 seconds. This variation will increase the endurance of the muscles.
• Make it a multitasking move for your upper and lower body by lifting dumbbells while you squat. I like to do Twisting Dumbbells Presses [2] or Hammer Curls [3].
• This is yoga variation, start with your legs and feet together, then lower your hips enough so that you can plant your palms firmly on the ground next to your feet. Hold this position for 15 to 30 seconds.
• After working your quads, hamstrings, and glutes doing squats, it's nice to do some squat stretches. Lower your bum all the way down, widen your stance so your feet are shoulder-width distance apart, and hold a Wide Squat [4]. This will open your hips and stretch out your calves. Or you can do a Bound Wide Squat [5] to get all the benefits of a Wide Squat, but it will also open your chest and shoulders, and increase flexibility in your spine.