Squats are one of the best exercises you can do, but they’re not without flaws.The movement requires incredible mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles, as well as a strong core and back. If you don’t maintain proper form throughout the movement, you risk injury in these key areas. Holding a heavy barbell on your back and shoulders also places you at risk of straining to support the weight, which could lead to injury. A barbell also might prevent you from standing up out of the bottom of the squat which, without a spotter present or knowledge of how to bail out of a squat, could be dangerous. These risks are less present using machines like the leg press, leg extension, and leg curl, but, on the flipside, these machines target fewer muscle groups.