Squats are a great lower body exercise that can do wonders for your butt, hips and thighs. Not only do squats strengthen and tone your lower body, but they can also slim your hips while firming and raising your behind.

Here is how to do a basic squat:
1. Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart. You can place your arms out in front of you or if hold weights at your sides.
2. Bend your knees as you move your butt towards the ground. Be sure that your knees are over your ankles and not past your toes. How far you can squat will depend on your fitness level.
3. Raise yourself back up by straightening your legs so you are back in starting position.

Squats can be done with no weights or you can add dumbbells or a barbell to add more resistance to the exercise. You may want to start out with no weights and then add weights as you get more physically fit to constantly challenge your muscles during this exercise. Also, beginners may want to place a chair behind them to get the moves of the exercise down and have the extra support just in case.

There are a few variations of squats that can be done that will target different areas of the lower body in a new way.

A plie squat specifically targets your inner thighs. By placing the legs farther apart and pointing your toes outwards, you are targeting your inner thighs to do more of the work when you squat down.

Wall sits are a form of a static squat. This means that you hold the exercise for a given length of time to engage the muscles. Use a wall to slide down into a squat position and hold the squat against the wall for at least 30 seconds. Aim to increase your time as you get more advanced.

For the really advanced person, you can try a one legged squat using an exercise ball against a wall. Lift your one leg slightly off the ground as you use the exercise ball to squat down while only on one leg.

Squats are a great exercise that can be added to a strength training routine, a cardio workout or a circuit training workout.