How to Squat
| Posted in Exercises | Posted on 27-04-2009
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The best exercise in the world is Squat! Don’t listen to anyone else who says otherwise. Every skinny guys must include it into his workouts. I already mentioned why in this article. It is a pretty hard exercise to do however, so I will try to give you the best description on how to do it as I can!
But first, one question that you might have is “Are squats dangerous to my knees?”. Nope, if done correctly. Actually, squat is the best exercise to strengthen your knees. Only if you perform it too fast or with bad technique, then you might injure yourself.
Also, there is a Myth in Bodybuilding that you shouldn’t squat bellow the parallel. It means that you should squat until you thighs are parallel to the ground… FORGET IT! It’s bull.it… Squat deep. Squat until your butt reaches your ankles (if you can, if your flexibility doesn’t allow you do go this low, go until your thighs are lower than the parallel to the ground. That’s how squats are done! ;) If you squat partially then your knees get a lot of work load and the injury risk is bigger. Only the full movement is healthiest for your knees. Squat your a.s.s to the grass and I promise you that you will have great, strong, fully developed legs (quads, hamstrings, butt, all develop when squatting).
Now let’s look at how it should be done Step-by-step:
1. Set up the bar in the squat rack so that it would be at about your mid-chest level when you stand.
2. Get under the bar and rest it on your trapezius muscle.
3. Stand wide. 4-6 inches wider that your shoulder width. Feet looking outside.
4. Unrack the bar by straightening your knees and standing up.
5. Take a few steps back. Carefully.
6. Look forward. Keep your chest out.
7. Start squatting down slowly. Hold your hips back. Don’t let your back round. First, your knees bend a bit and then you sit (let’s say into imaginary sofa..).
8. Squat down until your butt reaches ankles. Or if you can’t go this deep, then make sure your thighs are below parallel at least.
9. When squatting up don’t bounce off your ankles. Keep the movement slow. But don’t stay in the bottom position too.
10. Don’t round your back and look forward (not down or up, if you look up you actually loose the hip drive which is most important when going up!). Push from you heels not from your toes.
I have also found a great video from a great trainer and writer Mark Rippetoes about how to squat, it’s very detailed so take a look and remember what he says:
Here is a post I wrote about the myth of Squats, it will show you why it is GOOD to go deep.
If you have any problems or questions, leave a comment below ;)
“You must squat deep. Squat until your butt reaches your ankles”
Dude, u’re not sport medicine doctor, are u ?
I’m learned about squats in the gym for 3 years. 3 whole years! For those, who aren’t professional bodybuilders, they MUST NOT squat below horizontal line.
“Only the full movement is healthiest for your knees”
:D please give me arguments. Proved, madicine, sports clinic. Man, this is BULLSHIT.
anyway, keep reading not only pop-literature, but also what is proved – medical, sport science.
No I’m not a doctor and don’t claim to be one. I don’t read pop-literature. If I would then I wouldn’t be squatting below parallel.
For 3 years you have believed in a myth! And you can believe in it longer or choose to actually try and see what happens if you squat below parallel. Just because you have been training for three years, doesn’t mean you know everything about bodybuilding and that you are doing every single exercise correctly.
Why don’t you yourself don’t give any argument about why it is bad to squat below parallel? Show it to me. All I can say is that I am squatting for about half a year now and I don’t feel any knee pain that is supposed to felt if you squat deep. MYTH BUSTED!
Why squat below parallel? I learned in university, that you should use full range of motion, because there are two reasons for doing this:
1. better muscular development and thereby injury prevention. you should probably try to use lower weights when starting to do full range of motion.
2. equal joint abrasion/wear of friction -> if this wear of friction is only partially and not full range of motion (like joints are naturally built for their complete range of motion)it can lead to injury
Great post Mr.T !!! Thanx for it! ;) Glad you decided to share it. Hope you will stick around!
Cheers,
Adrian
OK ENOUGH SAID,
LETS SQUAT OUR ASSES OFF BOYS!
:D
Now that’s the Attitude I love!!! ;)