Squat
The barbell back squat is the most popular and most effective leg exercise there is. This highly respected compound leg exercise builds not only leg muscle and leg strength but also overall body strength. The barbell squat is a competitive lift in the sport of powerlifting, it is possibly the second greatest feat of strength after the deadlift.
The squat can be trained from anything extremely heavy for a one rep max right to a set of twenty plus reps, there is no other exercise that will improve leg muscle growth and leg strength better than the squat. There are several types of squat some of the most popular being barbell back squat, front squat and hack squat. The barbell back squat is one of three of the main lifts the other two are bench press and deadlift.
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Main Benefits Of The Squat
- Builds muscle to quads, glutes and hamstrings
- Adds strength to quads, glutes and hamstrings
- Builds core strength
- Overall cardiovascular health
- Promotes healthy posture
How To Squat:
- Set up the barbell just below shoulder height, stand under the bar with feet about shoulder width apart.
- Make sure the barbell is resting on the muscles on top of your back and not on your neck.
- place hands wider than shoulder width.
- Unrack the weight by bending at the knees and straighten your back.
- Take a small step back and stabilize yourself.
- Keeping your shoulders up and looking forward slowly lower your body down keeping your chest up, don't lean forward.
- Squat down to 90 degrees so your thighs are parallel with the floor.
- Pushing through your heels bring your body back up.
- Do not lock your knees up when your stand back up, repeat the movement or re rack the weight.​
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How To Front Squat:
- Set up barbell level with neck height.
- Stand by bar and place hands just outside shoulder width.
- Place bar on shoulders, it should lightly touch your neck without causing any discomfort.
- Your hands should not be taking weight but should only be supporting and stabilizing the bar.
- Lift the bar off the rack and take a small step back.
- Place your feet wider than shoulder width, pointing your toes outwards.
- Squat down so your knees travel in the same direction as your toes while your chest is still upward.
- Squat as low as you feel comfortable while maintaining an upright back ensuring you keep elbows up to support the barbell.
- Push through with your heels until your standing straight.
- Repeat or rerack.