Squats are one of the best exercises you can do. Period. But banging them out one after the other can get boring—fast. So we’ve pulled together 18 variations to help keep you and your lower body engaged, working everything from your glutes to your calves. What’s more, we’ve thrown in some plyometric moves to ramp up the fun factor. Translation: This challenge will help boost your strength, power, flexibility, and balance—all while spiking your heart rate.

Happy squatting!

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Basic squat

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, chest high, abs tight, and hands clasped in front of chest. Push hips back, bend knees, and lower down, bringing hips to just below parallel. Push into heels to rise to standing. This is one rep.

Squat pulse

Lower into a basic squat and hold. Now, pulse the lower body up a couple of inches and down a couple of inches. This is one rep.

Squat jump

Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out, arms at sides. Push hips back, bend knees, and lower down as you bring arms forward. At the bottom of the squat, jump up explosively, swinging arms back; land softly. This is one rep. Immediately sit back down into your squat and repeat.

Plié squat

Start in a wide stance with toes turned out and hands on hips. Sink into hips, lowering body until thighs are parallel to floor. Pause, then push into heels to slowly rise back up. This is one rep.

Heels elevated/toes out squat

Stand with heels together and resting on an elevated platform such as a weight plate; clasp hands in front of chest. Bend knees, lowering as far down as possible. Push back up to start. This is one rep.

Squat with 5-second isometric hold

Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, chest high, abs tight, and hands clasped in front of chest. Push hips back, bend knees, and lower down, bringing hips to just below parallel. Pause at the bottom for a count of five, then push into heels and slowly rise to standing. This is one rep.

Single-leg squat

Stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward and arms in front of you. Bend left knee and lift left foot up. Keeping hips even, push hips back, bend right knee, and slowly lower down as far as you can while keeping good form. Push back up to standing, keeping left foot lifted. After desired reps, repeat on the opposite side.

Side-step squat

Stand tall with feet together; take a giant step out to the right with right foot, push hips back, and lower down into a squat. As you rise back up to standing, step right foot back in. Repeat on the left side. This is one rep.

Squat jack

Stand tall with feet together, hands clasped at chest. Jump feet out as you simultaneously bend knees and push hips back to land lightly in a wide squat; keep chest up. Jump feet back in to start. This is one rep. Continue jumping out and in.

Split squat

Start in a staggered stance with the left foot in front of the right and slightly to the left. Keeping chest up, lower down until back knee touches floor. Drive through left heel to stand. This is one rep. After desired reps, repeat on the opposite side.

Figure 4 squat

Stand on left leg and cross right ankle over left thigh with right knee open out to the side. Push hips back, bend left knee, and lower into a squat, reaching arms forward or clasping hands at chest for balance. Press into left heel to rise back up to standing. This is one rep.

Drop squat

Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart; arms at sides. Jump feet out to a wide stance as you lower into a squat. Simultaneously, swing left arm in front of your body and touch the ground with left fingertips while right arm swings back. Jump feet back in to start. This is one rep. On the next rep, swing the right arm forward and the left arm back; alternate arms each rep.

Squat kickback

Lower into a basic squat. Lift left leg up and back, keeping hips square. Lower left leg to return to squat and repeat motion on right leg. This is one rep.

Yogi squats (malasana) with 3-second isometric hold

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and toes pointing out slightly. Slowly lower down into a low squat with palms together at heart’s center and chest lifted. Use elbows to gently push knees out. Hold here for three seconds, and then push into heels to slowly rise back up to standing. This is one rep.

Frogger

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and toes pointing out slightly. Lower into a squat and place palms on floor; arms should be inside of legs. Jump feet out, coming into a high plank with shoulders over wrists and abs tight. Immediately jump feet back in to the outside of hands. Staying low, lift hands up in front of chest, coming into a deep squat. This is one rep.

Prisoner squat walk

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and place hands lightly behind head. Push hips back, bend knees, and lower into a half squat. Maintaining this position, walk eight steps to the right, then eight steps back to the left.

Pro tip: Place a mini resistance band just above the knees to help maintain position and to make this more challenging.

Prisoner squat to kneel

Stand with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and place hands lightly behind head. Push hips back, bend knees, and lower down into a squat; keep chest up. Maintaining this position, lower the left knee to the ground, followed by the right. To rise, step up with the left foot, followed by the right. This is one rep. On the next rep, lower the opposite knee first; continue alternating.

180-degree squat jump turn

Lower into a basic squat. Jump up explosively while turning 180 degrees to the left and swinging arms back. Land softly back into squat as you swing arms forward. This is one rep. Repeat move, turning 180 degrees to the right. Continue alternating.

Make it easier: Decrease jumping range to a quarter turn, jumping 90 degrees.

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Rozalynn S. Frazier, Health senior fitness editor, is a NASM certified personal trainer.

Resistance band workouts make it easy to strengthen and tone without added impact on your joints. The bands are easy to take with you while traveling, and you can squeeze in a quick workout just about anywhere—even when you’re short on time.

Below and in the video above, find three of my favorite resistance band exercises for your abs. The whole routine will work your core in just 10 minutes, with three minutes working each section of your core and time to reset your bands between movements. Remember to breathe out when the tension in your bands is greatest and breathe in when it is lightest.

Never stretch resistance bands beyond a safe position where it could pull you unexpectedly. Rather, add a second band to increase resistance or change bands to one with greater tension.

Ready to work?

For obliques

I recommend using a door anchor strap that slides in a doorframe (you can get the full set I like on Amazon). Set your resistance bands at hip-height to target your midsection. Hold both handles together and pull your hands to the right, holding for two seconds. Repeat 12 times, then switch to the left. Do a second set on each side, and work up to a third set.

To make it harder: Try a heavier band, take a step farther away, or work up to 20 reps instead of 12. You can also switch things up by angling the handles lower and then higher for the second and third sets. Extend only as far as to maintain focus on the core rather than engaging the arms and back.

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For lower abs

With your anchor under the door, slip your shoes through the handles of your resistance band.

Lie on your back with your feet at the door. Bring one knee at a time up to your chest, then quickly straighten it. Repeat on the other side—just like you’re doing a bicycle crunch, but without lifting your shoulders off the floor. Repeat for three sets of 20 while pressing the small of your back down into the floor; this will stabilize your spine and prevent back pain during or after this routine.

To make it harder: Add reps or switch to a band with more resistance.

RELATED: The 8 Best Resistance Bands

For upper abs

With your anchor low or under the door, lie on your back with your head nearest the door, your knees bent, and your feet on the floor. Hold the resistance band handles above your chest and as you crunch up push the bands forward past your knees to increase tension. Your shoulders will come up off the ground; push your lower back against the floor. Feel your upper core muscles contract and hold for a count of two. Return your hands to your chest as you lie back down. Repeat for three sets of 15. Try to keep your neck as relaxed as possible; crunch up at the shoulders, don't pull with your neck.

To make it harder: Switch to a band with more resistance, or increase the hold time at the top of the exercise.

Nicole Borgenicht is a fitness writer and a nationally and internationally certified personal trainer with National Council for Certified Personal Trainers and Interactive Fitness Trainers of America.

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It’s easy to take walking for granted as a form of exercise. After all, it’s how we move around in the world every day, so it can be hard to believe it’ll knock off pounds. But research shows that walking is a surprisingly strong health and fitness strategy. It matters how you walk, though. A study in Journal of Applied Physiology found that walking quickly with hand and ankle weights was comparable to slow running. And research from the University of Virginia revealed that mixing short, fast walks with longer, more leisurely ones was an effective way for obese women to lose belly fat.

Walking can even help prevent disease. A study in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology showed that walking at a decent clip reduced participants’ risk of developing high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels as much as running.

It’s clear that our bodies were made to walk, but there’s more than one way to get the most out of those daily steps. We spoke to three experts with different approaches so you can choose the right method for you. Whether you’re time-pressed or want to ease into running, our experts have got you covered.

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The celebrity trainer: David Kirsch

Kirsch, who has trained the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Kate Upton, believes even the fittest people can benefit from walking more. "From a purely physiological standpoint, walking raises your heart rate and burns calories," he says. "But it’s also a great way to increase your mind-body connection, focus on your breath, spend time in nature, meditate, and de-stress."

David Kirsch's go-to walking workout: For beginners, it’s all about working up to 10,000 steps a day, says Kirsch. That’s the preset daily goal on most fitness trackers because it’s considered a good target for heart health and weight maintenance. But after you’ve mastered that, challenge yourself to hit 15,000 to 25,000 daily steps. "Ten thousand should become the bare minimum," he says. To amp up the intensity of your walks, try a hilly landscape or wear two- to three-pound ankle and hand weights. You can also incorporate some toning exercises every few minutes, like jumping jacks, walking lunges, squats, or squat jumps, suggests Kirsch. Adding these moves in intervals will help you build muscle, improve heart health, and increase endurance. "Walking is so good for you," he says. "It’s a great start and supplement to any wellness program."

RELATED: 10 Ways to Walk Off Fat Faster

The weight-management physician: Amy Rothberg, MD

"Walking is one of the best tools for weight maintenance," says Dr. Rothberg, director of the University of Michigan’s Weight Management Clinic. "It’s aerobic, it engages some of the biggest muscles, and it’s feasible for most people."

Dr. Rothberg's go-to walking workout: To maintain a healthy weight, Dr. Rothberg recommends walking for at least 30 minutes five days a week. Some good news: You don’t have to log a half hour all at once. "You can do your 30 minutes in 10-minute bouts throughout the day," she says, "and those add up." Plus, when you walk for shorter periods, you can generally go at a faster speed, which may be even better for you than walking slowly for 30 minutes straight, since more vigorous activities can help increase your overall fitness level. And even lower-intensity exercises like fast-paced walking can help burn some of the body’s stored fat. Walking in chunks can give you little boosts of confidence to keep you motivated, too. "Whether it’s parking farther away or walking to meet a colleague, you get a sense of accomplishment," she says. "It’s these little successes that end up establishing good habits."

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The running coach: Jeff Galloway

Galloway is the creator of the Run Walk Run training method, which helps walkers and longtime runners alike stay in shape and prep for races. Adding running intervals to your walks can help you burn more calories, and running has been shown to boost appetite-suppressing hormones, notes Galloway. Plus, easing into running like this allows you "to go farther while feeling better and avoiding injury," he says.

Jeff Galloway's go-to walking workout: To introduce faster segments into your walks, start by jogging for 5 to 10 seconds per minute for 10 minutes, gradually working your way up to 30 minutes. Once you’ve conquered that goal, begin adding longer periods of jogging until you can jog for 30 seconds per minute for 30 minutes. Eventually, you can build up to shorter walk breaks—for example, walking for 30 seconds and running for 60. This is an excellent way to train for a 5K or even longer race, says Galloway. (For regular runners looking to add in strategic walking breaks, Galloway suggests alternating 90 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking if you run a 10-minute mile on average. If you average a 12-minute mile, try alternating 60 seconds of running and 30 seconds of walking.)

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We tend to do anything to distract ourselves during a workout. Maybe you watch reality TV on the treadmill, hike with your headphones on, or rehash your to-do list as you cycle. Hey, no shame—you deserve a round of applause just for breaking a sweat!

But according to experts, dropping the diversions and adopting a more mindful approach to fitness can pay off big-time—for your body and your brain.

RELATED: 20 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out

No, we’re not talking about sitting cross-legged and om-ing in the middle of the weight room (though if you’re so inclined, go for it). That’s more of a straight-up meditation practice. Mindfulness while working out is about cultivating present-moment awareness. And when we become fully engaged in the act of exercising, we not only improve our physical results but, research has found, we can also boost our appreciation and enjoyment of the experience—which could ultimately help us stay committed to a fitness routine long-term.

All this said, focusing on the here and now is challenging (especially when you’re working hard and wish you could fast forward to a shower). Luckily our wellness coaches and mental health pros have plenty of tips and tricks to make it a little easier.

RELATED: 4 Genius New Ways to Stay Motivated Toward Any Goal

Get grounded

Yoga teachers often talk about centering yourself at the start of class. Try that before your other workouts, too, by pausing to take a few deep belly breaths. “As you inhale, imagine that your breath is carrying particles of concentration into your body. As you exhale, notice that all the distractions and stress are drifting away,” says sports psychologist JoAnn Dahlkoetter, PhD, author of Sports Psychology Coaching for Your Performing Edge. “The incoming breath is like a sedative that supplies you the peace you need to focus on the present.”

Bringing your attention to the activity (whether it’s boxing or erging) can make it easier to reach a “flow” state, which is when you’re completely immersed in the workout. Once that happens, the workout’s perceived level of difficulty decreases, and you actually perform better, explains Nike master trainer Joe Holder, founder of the Ocho System.

You might also try setting an intention pre-workout, says Sarah Romotsky, head of health and science strategy at Headspace, an app-based mindfulness company. It could be something simple, like “I’m grateful for my body’s ability to move” or “Show self-kindness.”

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Develop goals

Specifically, process-oriented goals. Say you’re running a race or trying to hit a certain mileage—those are called outcome goals; process goals are the steps you take that help you get there. These might include perfecting your technique, setting your pace, or honing your mental attitude. Process goals direct your focus to what you’re doing in the moment, says Dahlkoetter.

Just make sure you aren’t so fixated on any one goal that you can’t adapt as conditions change. Dahlkoetter puts it this way: At the starting line of a race, you need to widen your focus to manage all that’s happening around you. By the middle of the race, you can be really attuned to your form and your breathing. In the final stretch, you may need to narrow your focus: All your energy should probably be centered on putting one foot in front of the other till you make it to the finish line. Knowing which goals to focus on when will serve you well.

RELATED: The Secret to This Woman's Fitness Transformation Was Changing Why She Exercises

Try not to zone out

That doesn’t mean you should never crank up your power song mid-workout. In fact, research shows that dissociation—or putting your mind elsewhere—can sometimes be helpful. But there are also benefits to going distraction-free. “When people are truly engaged, they are physically and measurably able to do so much more than when they are checked out,” says Bethany Lyons, founder and CEO of Lyons Den Power Yoga.

It makes sense that when your mind is wandering, your performance can suffer. If you’re mentally singing along with Beyoncé—or ruminating about last night’s argument, or rehearsing tomorrow’s pitch—you won’t be focused on keeping form, which means you’re probably not moving as efficiently as possible, and you’re more likely to get hurt.

Catch yourself spacing out? “Bring your attention back to what you’re doing,” says Shirley Archer, a mindful-living coach and author of Pilates Fusion: Well-Being for Body, Mind and Spirit. “The more you practice that mental shift, the easier it will become.” Think of it like flexing your mental muscle. Then, check in with your body. Ask yourself, “What am I feeling, hearing, seeing, right now?”

Picture yourself fitter

Seriously, visualization is a powerful tool. Consider a 2014 study involving folks whose forearms were immobilized in an elbow-to-wrist cast for four weeks. Study participants who visualized themselves flexing their wrists during this time frame lost 50 percent less strength than their non-visualizing counterparts. Now imagine what visualization can do for you when it comes to your fitness challenges. Before your next workout, you might envision yourself running up that monster hill on your route without stopping, or you might fantasize about pushing a heavier weight on the prowler. Athletes use this mind trick to build the brain-body connection before big events, says Dahlkoetter. “The more you mentally rehearse your plan, the more automatic it will become and the less thought will be required in the moment.”

Watch what you think

Whatever your brain is saying, your body believes. As a result, self-talk is a key ingredient for success or failure, says Nicole Detling, PhD, a mental-performance coach and the owner of HeadStrong Consulting. So instead of thinking about how much your workout is going to suck and how you’ll never be able to finish it, replace those negative thoughts with positive ones. Archer suggests repeating affirmations. Tell yourself “I love a challenge!” or “I’m going to crush this workout!” she says. And odds are, you will.

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Last week, Fitbit announced that they would be launching new wearables this spring: the Fitbit Versa Lite, Fitbit Inspire, and Inspire HR, as well as the Fitbit Ace 2 for kids. Today, three of those trackers are officially available to purchase for presale on the retailer's website (the Ace 2 will launch later this summer). Here's what you need to know about each of the new models, as well as how they differ from existing Fitbits.

First things first: What are the big changes?

In general, these new Fitbit products aim to make the smartwatches and fitness trackers more accessible and affordable for everyone. The company also announced that they will soon be redesigning the Fitbit app to make it easier to personalize your dashboard and connect with others in the community.

Also good: All of these new wearables are swim-proof and come with an impressive new line of accessories.

Fitbit Versa Lite (center)

The Versa Lite ($160; fitbit.com) is the latest Versa smartwatch—and it's $40 cheaper. Although this is a streamlined version of the original Versa, the Versa Lite still has the same core features, including sleep, heart rate, and general activity tracking; access to a slew of handy apps and GPS; and a battery that can hold its charge for four days at a time. It's also available in fun new colors, including eye-catching mulberry, bright marina blue, and a pretty lilac, as well as basic white. Note that certain features from the Versa are missing from the Versa Lite, such as the ability to stream music. But if you're after a pared-down, more affordable smartwatch, this is a terrific choice.

Fitbit Inspire HR (left)

Sleek and streamlined, the Inspire HR ($100; fitbit.com) is Fitbit's newest 24/7 heart rate tracking device. It lets you monitor your sleep stages, cardio levels, and physical activity with more than 15 goal-based exercise modes and up to five days of battery life. Also cool: You can access guided breath sessions and have the ability to tap into your phone's GPS to see real-time distance traveled. The Inspire HR is available in white, black, and lilac (pictured).

Fitbit Inspire (right)

Now Fitbit's most affordable tracker, the Inspire ($70; fitbit.com) is a pared-down version of the Inspire HR. The Inspire has many of the same core features, such as all-day activity and calorie burn tracking, sleep tracking, and automatic exercise recognition, all with a sleek touchscreen and the same battery life.

Unlike the Inspire HR, it does not have the heart rate features (you cannot monitor 24/7 heart rate, resting heart rate, or heart rate zones, for example). The Inspire is also missing a few other features, such as the exercise modes and breath sessions (you can compare both models on Fitbit.com). But all in all, this is still an impressive tracker at an unbeatable price point.

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