This article originally appeared in Shape.
If you've been doing the same basic bodyweight squat for weeks in quarantine now, it's time to level up to doing squats with weights. No shade on bodyweight training — you absolutely can get strong and build muscle just using your own body, but if you have any equipment available, adding weight to your squats can only benefit you.
While squats primarily works your quads and glutes, doing a weighted squat has the added benefit of working your core as well, depending on your stance and the way you're loading weight.
Plus, "depending on which muscles you fire up before the squat, and the variation of the squat, the exercise targets different areas," says Nate Feliciano, owner and head of training at the private fitness studio Studio 16 in New York City. "If you're looking to make the squat more of a glute exercise, then do 3 to 4 sets of a glute activation exercise, like banded lateral walks, and then do a sumo squat variation. Or if you're looking to target your quadriceps, then fire up your quads with 3 to 4 sets of banded straight leg raises and then do a goblet squat variation."