Most people are stuck in a bubble. They move forward, they move backward, and they sit down. That’s about it. If you look at a standard gym floor, you’ll see rows of people performing the same linear patterns: the barbell squat, the lunges, the leg press. But life isn't linear. You trip over a curb, you lurch to catch a falling glass, or you dodge a puddle. This is where side to side squats come in, and frankly, if you aren't doing them, your joints are probably paying the price.
Traditional squats are great for raw power. Don't get me wrong. But they focus almost entirely on the sagittal plane—that forward and backward movement. Real-world athleticism and even basic longevity require lateral stability. When you ignore the side-to-side motion, you're basically leaving your adductors and gluteus medius to rot.
The Lateral Movement Gap
Think about the last time you felt a "tweak" in your groin or your outer hip. It usually happens when you're forced to move in a direction you haven't trained. Side to side squats—often called lateral squats or sometimes confused with Cossack squats—force your body to stabilize while shifting your center of mass horizontally. It’s a completely different stimulus.
You’ve got the adductors, those muscles on the inside of your thigh. Most lifters never touch them unless they’re using that awkward "thigh master" machine at the back of the gym. But these muscles are massive. They contribute significantly to hip extension. By performing side to side squats, you’re hitting the adductor magnus in a way that a standard back squat simply cannot replicate.
It's about tension.
When you descend into a lateral squat, one leg is working through a deep range of motion while the other is getting a massive active stretch. This "weighted stretching" is a secret weapon for mobility. Strength coaches like Dan John or Charles Poliquin have long preached the importance of structural balance. If your inner thighs are tight and your outer hips are weak, your knees are going to collapse inward during heavy lifts. That’s a recipe for an ACL tear.
Breaking Down the Mechanics
Let’s get into the weeds. How do you actually do this without looking like a folding lawn chair?
Start with a wide stance. I’m talking wider than you think. Your toes should be pointed mostly forward, though a slight outward flare is okay if your hip sockets are built that way—everyone’s anatomy is a bit different. Now, instead of just dropping your butt straight down, you’re going to shift your weight to one side.
Keep your chest up. Push your hips back.
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As you lower yourself onto the working leg, the other leg stays straight. This is the crucial part. If you bend both knees, you’re just doing a wide-stance squat. That’s fine, but it’s not what we’re after here. You want the straight leg to act as an anchor. You’ll feel a pull along the inner thigh. That’s the adductor group lengthening under load. Honestly, it might feel a bit intense the first few times.
A common mistake? People let their heels pop off the ground. Don't do that. If your heel lifts, you’re putting way too much shear force on the patella. If you can't get deep without lifting your heel, stop. Work with the range of motion you have. Your ankle mobility might be the bottleneck here, specifically dorsiflexion.
Why Your Knees Actually Love This
There’s this weird myth that lateral movements are "bad" for the knees. It’s total nonsense. In fact, side to side squats are often used in physical therapy protocols to treat Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome.
Why? Because they strengthen the Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO). That’s the teardrop-shaped muscle just above your knee. The VMO is responsible for tracking the kneecap correctly. When it’s weak, the kneecap pulls out of alignment. By shifting your weight laterally, you’re forcing the VMO to fire harder to keep the joint stable.
You’re also building the gluteus medius. This muscle is the "primary stabilizer" of the hip. If it's lazy, your pelvis drops when you walk or run, which creates a chain reaction of pain down to your ankles. Side to side squats are basically a diagnostic tool and a cure wrapped into one movement. If you can’t do them without your knee caving in, you’ve found a weakness. Fix it.
Variations That Actually Matter
Once you've mastered the bodyweight version, you have to progress. You can't just do the same thing forever and expect the body to change.
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- The Goblet Hold: Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell at chest height. This acts as a counterbalance, often allowing you to sit deeper into the squat than you could with just your body weight.
- The Cossack Squat: This is the "final boss" of lateral squats. Instead of keeping your foot flat on the straight leg, you rotate it so the toes point toward the ceiling. This allows for a much deeper range of motion and hits the hamstrings differently.
- Landmine Side Squats: Using a landmine attachment provides a unique arc of resistance. It follows the natural path of your body and is incredibly "joint-friendly" for those with lower back issues.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
I see people mess this up constantly in the gym. The most egregious error is "rounding the back." Because you’re reaching to one side, it’s easy to let your spine collapse to compensate for tight hips. If you find yourself staring at the floor, you've gone too far.
Another one? Speed.
People try to bounce in and out of the bottom position. Stop it. The magic of side to side squats is in the control. You want to own every inch of the movement. Try a 3-second descent. Pause at the bottom. Feel that stretch. Then, drive through the mid-foot to return to the center.
If you have lower back pain, be careful with the "butt wink." This is when the pelvis tucks under at the bottom of the squat. In a lateral movement, this can put some funky torque on the SI joint. If you feel a pinch in your lower back, shorten your range of motion. It’s not a contest to see who can touch the floor with their butt; it’s about quality muscle recruitment.
Real Talk on Frequency
You don't need to do these every day. In fact, please don't. Your adductors are sensitive. If you blast them with high volume on day one, you won't be able to walk properly for a week.
Start by adding them to your warm-up. Two sets of 10 reps per side, just bodyweight. It wakes up the nervous system. It "greases the groove." Once you're comfortable, move them into your main workout. They work great as a secondary movement after your heavy lifts.
I personally like to pair them with something vertical. Do a set of overhead presses, then go straight into side to side squats. It keeps the heart rate up and ensures you're moving in multiple planes of motion within the same session.
The Performance Carryover
If you play sports—soccer, basketball, tennis, MMA—this is non-negotiable.
Think about a crossover in basketball. You're planting one foot and exploding in the opposite direction. That is literally a dynamic, high-velocity version of a side squat. If you've only ever trained forward-facing movements, your tissues aren't prepared for those forces. You’ll be slower. You’ll be more prone to groin strains.
Even for the "average Joe" who just wants to stay fit, the benefits are huge. Better balance, more mobile hips, and a set of legs that actually look complete. A lot of guys have big quads but no "width" to their legs. Developing the adductors and the lateral hip gives the legs a much thicker, more athletic look.
Putting It All Together
It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the "optimal" training advice on the internet. But it really boils down to this: move in ways you usually don't.
The side to side squat is an insurance policy for your lower body. It fills the gaps left by the big barbell lifts. It bulletproofs the knees. It opens up the hips.
Start small. Maybe tonight, while you're watching TV, just try a few reps. Don't worry about the weight. Just feel the movement. Feel where you're tight. Listen to what your body is telling you. If your hips feel like rusty hinges, that’s your sign to make these a permanent fixture in your routine.
Actionable Next Steps
To actually see results from this, stop reading and do these three things during your next leg session:
- Test your mobility: Perform 5 side to side squats per side with zero weight. Note if one side is tighter than the other. Usually, the dominant leg is stiffer.
- Add a counterbalance: Grab a 10lb or 15lb weight. Hold it in front of you. Perform 3 sets of 8 reps per side. The weight will actually help you stay upright and get deeper.
- Record your form: Set your phone up and film yourself from the front. Watch your knees. Are they tracking over your toes, or are they wobbling? Are your heels staying glued to the floor? Adjust your stance width based on what you see.
Don't overcomplicate it. Just get moving sideways. Your 60-year-old self will thank you for the hip health, and your current self will appreciate the stronger, more resilient legs.
Reference Note: Research in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research has consistently highlighted that lateral exercises increase EMG activity in the gluteus medius compared to traditional squats, supporting the necessity of multi-planar training for injury prevention.
The work starts when you step outside the box. Or in this case, when you step to the side. There's no secret supplement or magic program that replaces basic, high-quality movement patterns. Add the lateral squat to your arsenal and stop leaving half of your leg development to chance.
Practical Implementation Checklist
- Frequency: 2-3 times per week.
- Placement: After your heavy compound lift or as part of a dynamic warm-up.
- Focus: Heel stay down, chest stays up, straight leg stays straight.
- Progression: Increase depth first, then add weight, then increase tempo.
This isn't just another exercise; it's a fundamental movement that most of the modern world has forgotten. Reclaim it.