You may have already heard that squats are a necessary addition to your fitness routine. But why all the fuss over just one type of strength training exercise?

According to Katie’s own pilates expert, Ashley Patten, squats are well worth the burn because they’ll help you feel your best as you move through simple, day-to-day activities. And given that Patten has helped us with everything from hip stiffness and arm strengthening, we take her advice pretty seriously.

“Squatting is essential for daily life, whether you’re cleaning your floors, picking up something from the ground, or playing with kids and grandkids,” Patten says. “Plus, squatting helps with getting in and out of a chair.”

“Squats are considered an activity of daily life,” Patten continues. “Although they can be kind of torturous — Katie has given me some serious devil eyes while we’ve done them — they have big benefits!”

These benefits also include strengthening your lower back, strengthening your knee joints, and improving flexibility. Plus, Patten adds that squatting is a killer way to build bone density. But keep in mind that there are disadvantages to squatting without proper form. If you aren’t careful, you can experience debilitating issues like knee pain. To help you maintain that perfect squat, Patten has put together this short and sweet video with practical instructions on how to improve your form.

If you’re feeling hesitant, you should know that squatting doesn’t require much in the way of equipment — Patten braces herself on a pole and advises that you find a similarly sturdy source of support. Look for a pole in your gym, or have some fun outside by utilizing a park bench or piece of playground equipment (kids don’t get to have all the fun). Whatever you choose, rest assured you’re on your way to reaping all of those precious fitness rewards without any of the nasty drawbacks.