Legs · Bodyweight
Side Step Deep Squat
How to do the side step deep squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Squat
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Start standing tall. Step out to one side into a wide stance, then sink straight down into a deep squat, keeping your chest up and heels flat. Drive up, step your feet back together, and repeat to the other side.
- 1Glutes and quads loading as you sink into the deep squat
- 2Hips and ankles opening up at the bottom of each rep
- 3Chest staying tall as you sit down between your feet
Common mistakes
- Letting your knees cave inward at the bottom
- Rounding your back as you reach depth
- Rushing the side step and losing your balance
Muscles worked
The side step deep squat mainly works the glutes and quads, with the adductors, lower back, hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- QuadsPrimary
- AdductorsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the side step deep squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.