Squats

The main muscles worked from squats:

Quadriceps, Erectors

Thigh Adductors, Glutes

This lift happens to be my all-time favorite . It's been called the "king of exercises". This is the first lift I was taught over 40 years ago. I have done the full Olympic style(the best in my opinion), parallel style, and box style(which I also love). Lower on this page I discuss how to do a front squat.

Warning: Be careful. By doing this exercise you may become incredibly strong.

Squats are an exellent exercise for building speed and power in athletes. Nearly every sport requires explosive power in the hips and thighs in order to be competetive. Squats develop this power in you.

Squats also aid in the development of back muscles and abdominal strength. This is key if your sport requires power to be transfered from the lower to upper extremities.

Proper Technique

1. Always have a spotter

2. Use a power rack if you have one.

3. Center the bar on your upper back. Bar may be high, or low on your traps, whatever is most comfortable for you.

4. Stance: Shoulder or wider. Point your toes out slightly. Keep your feet flat on the floor.

5. Head in neutral position. Chin up. Squeeze shoulder blades together. Chest out.

6. Keep back flat on decent and ascent.

7. Start by moving your butt back first, then sit down.

8. Descend until you upper thighs are parallel to the floor (or even a little past parallel).

9. Do not pause at the bottom. Do not bounce.

10. For the ascent, drive up quickly, pushing your heels all through the lift.

11. Breathe. I tell my athletes "huff n puff". Never hold your breath.

Notes:

Competitive power lifters perform this lift with a specialized technique, under specialized conditions.

If you train where there are Olympic or power lifters performing this exercise observe and learn. Power lifters, especially, know pure strength. Listen to their advice.

If an instructor or spotter is not available to you, you may use a leg press machine instead.

This video shows a 15 year old boy being trained with the box style of the lift.

Here is a training video on proper technique.

Heavy lifting video.

And this video shows how to prepare your body for proper technique.

Front Squats

This version of squatting is often overlooked when choosing a leg exercise. However, it is a great exercise for all athletes. The main difficulty is the positioning of the bar on the clavicles. For some, it is a matter of comfort, others a matter of balance, yet others lack the flexibility needed.

Here are three basic ways of holding the bar. The first one is the easiest:

* Position the bar on your shoulders and cross your arms over the top of the bar. This requires balance and patience.

* Or you can try this one. Set bar on your shoulders and keep your elbows high. rest the bar on you finger tips(palms to ceiling).T

* This is the one I use. If you are familiar with lifting straps try this. Wrap the straps around the bar. Position the bar on your shoulders. You should have some length of strap left over. Grab the straps with your hands(your thumbs should be in front of your face). Keeping elbows high for balance and stability.

The rest is easy. Set your feet about shoulder width apart or slightly wider.

Point your toes out a little.

Take bar from the rack or stand.

Keep head in neutral position and lower your hips keeping back flat, upper torso as erect as you can.

Simply sit back and sit down with the bar in front of your head.

Depth should at least be thighs parallel to the floor. In my opinion depth should be lower, or what most call a "full squat" position.

Don't rest at the bottom. Once you are satisfied with your bottom position, stand erect. You have just completed a rep.

As always, start with just the bar. A standard olympic bar weighs 45 lbs. Perfect your technique first before worrying about loading up the bar. Shoot for reps of 8-12, and 2 or 3 sets.

This exercise is great for developing your quads. For athletes, both the front and back versions must be included in your training protocal.

Check out these videos that demonstrate this exercise.

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