SQUAT

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If you don’t Squat, you’re not training period. The Squat is the most important weight training exercise because it works your whole body, not just your legs. This guide will teach you how to Squat with correct technique using free weights so you achieve maximum strength and muscle gains without hurting yourself.

What Are Squats?

Bend through your knees with the bar on your back until your hips come lower than parallel. Once your hip joint is lower than your knee joint you Squat up again. Popular variations of the Squat include:

• Olympic Squat - High bar position, close stance & deep.
• Front Squat - The barbell rests on your front shoulders.
• Overhead Squat - Squats while holding the bar overhead.

Why Should You Squat?

Every muscle works when you Squat: your legs move the weight, your abs & lower back stabilize it, your arms squeeze the bar, etc. The Squat is NOT just a leg exercise, it’s a full body exercise:

• Build Muscle: Muscle size is directly related to strength. That’s why the best bodybuilder ever, Arnold Schwarzenegger, could Squat close to 500lbs. Getting stronger at Squats is the fastest way to gain muscle.
• Gain Strength: Squats strengthen your legs by working them through a full range of motion. This helps all sports but also daily activities. No more bending over to pick up an object, you can just Squat.
• Gain Flexibility: Squats are proof that weight training doesn’t make you inflexible. You need flexibility to Squat, and regular Squatting will help you maintain that flexibility.
• Strengthen Your Knees: Unlike what ignorant people will tell you, Squatting CORRECTLY will strengthen your knees by strengthening their surrounding muscles.

How to Avoid Injuries:

You should always Squat in a Power Rack. Set the safety pins so they can catch the bar would anything go wrong. The rest is technique – start light, add weight gradually, and remember form always comes before weight.

Lack of Hip Mobility:

It can make correct Squat technique impossible. One fix is to simply practice the squat movement at home without a bar – squat, stand, squat, stand etc.

Unracking the Bar:

• ALWAYS STEP BACK to unrack the bar; never forward. You don’t want to injure yourself stumbling over your own feet while walking the weight backwards into the uprights after a heavy set.
• Set the bar in the Power Rack at about mid-chest level.
• Position your feet directly under the bar.
• Squat under the bar and put it on your back.
• Tighten everything and Squat up to unrack the bar.
• One step back with one leg, one step back with the other leg

The Setup:

You’ll have to think about a lot of things at first. Study the tips below, start with an empty barbell, focus on your technique:

• Chest Up: The low bar position becomes easier with a low bar position. You can also tighten your upper-back better as a result.
• Forward Look: Look at the ceiling and your neck will hurt. Keep your head inline with your torso, but don’t start looking at your feet.
• Bar Position: Put the bar low, below the bone at the top of your shoulder-blades and on your back muscles – NOT on your spine and not on your traps.
• Until I realised the bar sat BEHIND my traps rather than ON them, I would always seem to fall forwards as I squatted! It took me nearly 9 months to realise at which point my knees and lower back became much less stressed.
• Grip Width: Your build and musculature will dictate this. Narrow grip makes it easier to tighten your upper-back. Do lots of shoulder rotations if this position feels uncomfortable.
• Thumb-less Grip: Put your thumbs on top of the bar, next to your fingers. You’ll be able to keep your wrists in-line with your forearms.
• Straight Wrists: Your back supports the weight, not your hands. Keep your wrists in-line with your forearm, never bend them.
• Tight Upper-back: Bring your shoulder-blades together. Tightening the upper-back gives the bar a solid base to rest on.
• Elbows Back: Don’t let them come forward. Pushing your elbows back prevents elbows injuries. Back doesn’t mean “up” by the way.
• Foot Stance: A narrow stance doesn’t work for the low bar Squat. Heels should be shoulder-width apart. If your lower back starts to round, go wider.
• Toes Out: Point your toes out at about 30 degrees. Your toes must always follow your knees or you’ll get knee injuries.

How to Squat Down:

You have unracked the bar correctly. All your muscles are tight and ready to Squat. The key to the Squatting correctly with a low bar position is your hips - you must have tension in your hamstrings at the bottom.

• Knees Out. Never allow your knees to buckle in unless you want to injure them. Push your knees out as you Squat down.
• Hit Parallel. Your hip joint must come lower than your knee joint. Ask someone to judge your depth or tape yourself. No Partial Squats.

How to Squat Up:

Your hip muscles will be stretched when in the bottom position if you Squat correctly. Use that stretch to bounce out of the hole. If you Squat this way, you’ll be lift a lot more weight while keeping your knees safe.

• Hips Up. Drive out of the hole by leading with your hips, not your chest. Don’t let your knees travel forward at the bottom or you’ll lose power.
• Squeeze Your Glutes. Power comes from the glutes. Squeeze them hard as you lockout the weight. It will also keep your lower back safe.
• Grab The Floor. Grab the floor with your feet, it will help activating your glutes. Do NOT let your heels come off the floor.
• Knees Out. Same as for the way down: don’t let your knees buckle in. Push your knees out as you Squat up.

Always use free weights for Squats. Machines are not only less effective for muscle and strength gains because they balance the weight for you, they also force you into fixed/unnatural movement patterns; and the Smith Machine is likely to ruin your lower back!

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