How to Squat

If you've never squatted before, stand in front of a mirror, start with just your body weight and a stick for the bar, and practice proper form diligently. You may want to have your form evaluated by a qualified person. Even a friend who has read this information can give you good feedback. Start with feet approximately shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Work on keeping your whole foot firmly on the ground while sinking your hips low and in between your heels. Go as low as you can while still maintaining a slight arch in your low back-hat is, the back should be slightly arched rather than flat, neutral, or rounded, keeping your upper back as upright as possible, and keeping your head up. Make sure your ascent is straight up and devoid of the twists and turns that can place additional stress on the body. You can progress to holding dumbbells or a variable-weight bar before you try the big Olympic barbell that weighs 45 pounds.

How low should you go? Is a wider stance better? Do twists and turns of the foot help activate different muscles? A lot of topics are controversial when it comes to squatting. When determining how deep to squat, consider that research has shown that quadriceps activity is the greatest when the knee is near full flexion-that means squatting as low as possible. Deep squats are not harmful to the knee-as the knee flexes, although joint compression force increases, the load is more evenly distributed. From a neuromuscular standpoint, full range-of-motion exercises are always the most beneficial because they recruit the most muscles and nerves. The real dangers of going low are failing to practice depth with lighter loads before you attempt the big ones and twisting or bouncing to get up from the bottom position. However, if you already have knee problems or knee pain, you should play it safe and squat no lower than parallel.

Some believe that altering foot position for a squat works different muscles. Many research studies have shown that a foot position wider than shoulder-width might make the buttocks and adductors work a little more, but changes in stance width do not isolate different quadriceps muscles. If you are interested in lifting more weight, like a powerlifter, a wider stance is better. The wider stance increases your base of support and balance and shortens the length you have to go to reach parallel. Ultimately you should position your feet where you are comfortable and stable and can most easily squat.

BARBELL BACK SQUAT

BARBELL FRONT SQUAT

ONE-LEG SQUAT

JUMP SQUAT

SUPER SQUAT CIRCUITS