How to squat with the correct form: the final guide

Here's how to squat with the proper shape using a barbell:

1. Stand with a barbell on your back and your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Squat, pressing your knees to your side, moving your hips back
3. Split parallel Squatting down until your hips are below your knees.
4. Squat, raising your knees and lowering
5. Stand with your hips and knees locked up

Hold the weight for a second at the top. Inhale Then take a big sigh, hold it and squat with your next representative. Repeat until you do five repetitions on StrongLifts 5 × 5.

Squats work all over the body. Your legs are bent and straightened to move the weight. Your abs and lower back muscles stabilize your chest while your legs move. Your back, shoulders and arms balance the bar on your back. Many muscles work simultaneously, not just your legs.

Squatting is the king of all exercises. It works more muscles with heavier weight, than more popular exercises, such as Bench Press. Therefore, it is more efficient to gain general strength and muscles quickly. That is why you squat 3 times a week in a 5 × 5 StrongLifts workout.

The correct form of squatting is the key to avoid pain in the knees and back. Do not do partial squats, walking only halfway down. Split in parallel, squatting down until your hips are below your knees. Extend your knees so that they are with you. Keep your lower back neutral, do not let it go.

This is the definitive guide to the correct form of squatting exercises. It covers the benefits of squats, squats, muscle work, common squat and pain problems, and variations of squats such as Front Squat and Olympic Squat.

Introduction

Benefits of squats

Nothing that I did in the gym ever worked until I started to squat. And few more people in the gym Squat. Most people skip squats because they are heavy. They use excuses like squats are bad for the knees. But, roughly speaking, if you are not squatting every week, using free weights and breaking the parallel on each representative, your training program is ineffective. Here are 11 advantages of a squat. 11 reasons why you should start squatting today …

1. Strengthening power. Strength is your ability to move your body against external resistance. The bar is on your back when you crouch and crouch. Your muscles need to generate strength against gravity to control the bar down and crouch up. Increase your squats and you will increase your muscle strength. This power is transferred to everyday life and sports, because squats work all over the body.
2. Build muscle Squats work for a ton of muscle. Your legs are bent, your body remains tight, and your upper body supports the bar. All these muscles simultaneously work to balance and squat weight. It releases hormones to build muscle, such as testosterone. The harder you squat, the stronger and stronger your muscles become. It delays the loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia, 2.5 kg / decade on average for 25 years).
3. Burn fat. You lose fat when your body burns more energy than you eat. Your muscles burn energy to lift weight. Squats burn more energy than any other exercise, because they work more muscles and with heavier weights. Heavy squats also increase your metabolism within an hour after a workout (EPOC). When you combine this with proper nutrition, squats will help you burn fat and reach six packs of abs.
4. Increase fitness. Your heart is a muscle. Squat, strengthen your muscles, including your heart. This makes it more efficient, since any activity requires less effort. Climbing the stairs or running, cause less demand for a stronger heart. It reduces heart rate and blood pressure. This, in turn, boosts the cardiovascular system. Squatting is good for your heart, unlike what some doctors will tell you.
5. Increase your stamina. Squats strengthen your legs. They make you work faster and faster, because each step requires less effort. This does not mean that you will suddenly start a marathon. But 5k will be easier. Squats will not make you slow and cumbersome. You will gain muscle mass when you double your squats. But you never get enough to slow you down. Squatting more like to insert into your car a more powerful engine.
6. Increase explosive hazard. Explosiveness is your ability to quickly generate power. In physics, this is power: how much work you can do in a given point in time (P = W / t). Stronger legs can do more work in the same amount of time. The more work you can do at the moment, the more you have. Squats create an explosion hazard for sport by increasing power. They do not prevent you from playing sports, they make you faster.
7. Strengthen bones. Gravity presses the bar when you crouch. This compresses everything under the panel. Your bones are living tissues (they heal if they break) that react to this vertical contraction, becoming stronger. Squats can not stand growth. They increase the density of your bones. They make them stronger and less likely to break. It protects you from falls and osteoporosis.
8. Strengthen joints. Squats strengthen the muscles around the knee joints, hip joints, ankle joints, spine and so on. It also strengthens your tendons and connective tissues. This creates support for your joints and spine. It protects them from injury. And it can help you recover from lower back pain or knee. The key to Squat is with the proper shape, so you strengthen your joints, rather than emphasizing them.
9. Increase flexibility. Squats will not make you inflexible and "bound muscles." Most people who crouch for the first time realize that they are inflexible because they have not crouched below the parallel for many years. Squats cannot make you inflexible because you have to be flexible to squat. Squats move their legs every week across the full range of motion. It maintains proper hip flexibility, which can prevent lower back pain.
10. Improve balance. Squats train you to balance the bar while your body moves. It improves balance and coordination. It also increases your ability to sense the movement of your body in space (proprioception). Squats make you better in sports and learn new skills. They reduce the likelihood of falling when walking upstairs or in the dark. Do not squat with cars. Squat loose weights to improve your balance.
11. Build discipline. Squat heavy. Doing heavy things, even if you don't feel it, trains the muscle between your ears: your mind. This creates discipline and mental stamina, which is crucial for getting results in the gym. It also builds discipline, which is transmitted in other areas of your life. It helps you stick to good eating habits, go to bed on time, do work, etc. Squats build discipline.

There is much more. Lifting masses generally reduce cholesterol, improve glucose metabolism, improve insulin response, and so on. Squatting is the best exercise in the weight exercise, which you can do because they work more muscles, a longer range of movement and more weight than any other exercise. Therefore, this is the best exercise you can do in the gym. This is the only one you must do if you only have time for one.

How to crouch

Crouch in a power rack for maximum safety. Install horizontal safety pins so that they can catch the bar if you cannot fit it. Do not crouch a blacksmith in a car with a bar attached to the rails. Machines are ineffective for gaining strength and muscle. And their fixed track can hurt you. Squat free weights instead of using Power Rack, Squat Rack or Squat Stands. Here's how to squat in five easy steps …

1. Tune. Turn to the bar. Grab it tightly with a medium grip. Put it on the upper back, dropping under the bar. Raise the chest.
2. Unrack Raise your legs under the barbell. Open it up, straightening your legs. Step back with straight legs. Block your hips and knees.
3. Squats. Take a big sigh, hold it and squat. Extend your knees, moving your hips back. Keep your lower back neutral.
4. Parallel gap. Squat down until your hips are below your knees. Hips parallel to the floor, not low enough. You must parallel gap,
5. Squat. The gap is parallel, then elevated. Keep your knees and cramps. Block your hips and knees at the top. Inhale

Squat five reps on StrongLifts 5 × 5, and then set the weight. Do not attempt to press against the rack directly in the rack. You could skip them. Finish your set first by holding the bar with your hips locked and your knees at the top. Then go forward until the bar hits the vertical parts of your power rack. Your legs will be right under the bar. Now squatting, bending his legs. The bar safely sits in your racks.

Squatting 101

Your build determines what the proper Squat shape looks like for you. The wider your shoulders, the wider your grip. If you have a short torso with long hips, like me, you will lean forward than people with a long torso and short hips. Do not try to squat like someone else if you do not have the same assembly. Follow these general Squat form rules and personalize them as you gain experience ….

• Stance. Squat with heels shoulder-width apart. Put your heels under your shoulders.
• Legs. Rotate your legs by 30 °. Keep your entire foot on the floor. Do not lift toes or heels.
• Knees. Push your knees to the side, in the direction of your legs. Block your knees at the top of each representative.
• Thighs. Simultaneously bend the hips and knees. Move your hips back and down, pushing your knees.
• Lower back. Squat with a natural arc, as when you are standing. Without rounding or excessive bending. Keep your back neutral.
• Lever. Squeeze the bar. But do not try to support heavy weight with your hands. Let your back carry the bar.
• Capture width Use an average grab, narrower than with a bench. Your hands should be in the background.
• The position of the bar. Put a bar between your traps and your back shoulders (bottom panel) or on your traps (high loaf). Center the panel.
• Wrists. Your wrists will twist and ache if you try to support the bar with your hands. Take it from the upper back.
• Elbows Behind your torso at the top, not vertically or horizontally. Embed a torso at the bottom of your squat.
• Upper back. Create an upper back to create support for the panel. Squeeze the shoulder blades and lift the chest.
• Chest. Raise the chest before dismantling the bar. Stay away and firm, taking a big sigh before squatting.
• Head. Keep your head upright with your torso. Do not look at the ceiling or feet. Do not turn your head sideways.
• Reverse angle. Not vertical or horizontal, but diagonal. The exact angle depends on the position of the assembly and the bar.
• Unracking Put the bar on your back and legs under the bar. Open it up, straightening your legs. Go back.
• Descent Simultaneously bend the hips and knees. Hip back, knees. Keep your lower back neutral.
• Depth. Squat down until your hips are below your knees. Not enough parallel hips. Parallel gap.
• Way up. Move your hips straight up. Keep your knees, chest and neutral head.
• Between rap. Stand with your hips and knees. Inhale Take it easy for the next representative.
• Rack. Block your hips and knees. Then step forward, press the stand and bend your knees.
• The path of the bar. Move the bar in a vertical line above your middle foot. No horizontal movement.
• Breath. Big breath upstairs. Keep it down. Exhale at the top.

Correct squat depth

Squat down until your hips are below your knees. It moves your body through the entire range of motion. It evenly strengthens the muscles of the legs. Hips parallel to the floor, not low enough. You must break in parallel, so that the top of your knees are higher than your thigh. If you cannot squat in parallel, put your heels shoulder-width apart and your fingers 30 °. Now squat, while your knees are at your sides. You will squat more deeply.

Many people do partial squats. They only squat a quarter or half way down. This makes the weight easier to squat, because it moves a smaller distance. You can squat more weight. But partial squats work only on your quadriceps. They do not strengthen your hamstrings and buttocks, which are important for knee health. Many people believe that Partial Squats are safer. But they create muscle imbalances that often cause knee injuries.

Other people like to squat deeply. Ass-To-Grass (ATG) squats include squats down until your application touches your ankles. It works on your muscles with a large range of motion. But it also reduces how much you can squat, as the bar moves on. In addition, most people lack the flexibility to crouch deeply without rounding their backs. I recommend that you break the parallel and then stop. There is no need to squat deeper to gain strength and muscle.

Muscles worked

Squatting is not just an exercise on the legs. Your legs do most of the work to squeeze the weight. But your abs and lower back muscles should stabilize your torso, while your upper body balances the bars. Squats work with the whole body from head to toe. That is why you can do squats heavier than other exercises, and why they are more effective for gaining general strength and muscles. Squats work on the following muscles …

• Thighs. Your legs are bent when you squat, while your knees remain apart. Everything is at the top. It works on the knee and thigh muscles: your quadrilaterals, hamstrings, adductors and buttocks. Squat – the best exercise for creating strong, muscular legs and strong butt.
• Calves Your lower legs are tilted at the bottom of your squat. They end vertically at the top. This ankle movement works with your core calf muscles: your calf muscle and soleusBut do not expect miracles. Genetics plays a big role when it comes to making larger calves.
• Lower back. Gravity presses the bar when you crouch. Your lower back should resist this downward force so that your spine is neutral and secure. This strengthens the back muscles of your spine, which protect it from injury: erector spinae.
• Abs. Your muscles help the muscles in your lower back to keep your spine neutral when you squat. It strengthens your six-component muscles that lie on your stomach: your rectus abdominis and you slanting on the side. Stronger abs is more muscular. Eat straight and they will show.
• Weapon Your hands help the muscles in your upper back to balance the bar on your back. Your hands tighten the bar, which increases the tension in your forearms and shoulders. Squats do not work with you, as with Chinups, because your hands do not bend. But you get isometric handwork.

Squats also work on the muscle that pumps blood to your legs: your heart. And it strengthens the muscles between your ears: your mind. Many hate squats because they are so heavy. But that is why they are so effective that they are gaining strength and muscles. Люди, которые имеют мужество, чтобы приседать каждую неделю, строят дисциплину, которая становится полезной в других частях их жизней (например, придерживаясь здорового питания и привычек сна).

Если у вас есть только время, чтобы сделать одно упражнение, тогда приземистый. Приседания работают больше мышц, с большим весом, в большем диапазоне движения, чем любое другое упражнение. Вес тяжелее, чем на ноге или ноге. Вы должны балансировать вес и себя, в отличие от ножного пресса, где вы сидите на машине. Штанга перемещается в два раза больше расстояния, чем на Deadlifts.Не подменю для Squat. Приседания поистине король.

Прикольные видео

Вы можете видеть меня Squat с надлежащей формой и отвечать на общие вопросы о Squat в видеороликах StrongLifts 5 × 5. Видеоролик StrongLifts 5 × 5 тренировки A ниже. Вы можете просмотреть видеоролик тренировки BROTLifts, в котором я также приседаю здесь. Заметьте, что я сижу на корточках весом, который вы будете сидеть на корточках в неделю 8/9 из StrongLifts 5 × 5. Если вы хотите посмотреть, как выглядит более тяжелый Squat, проверьте это видео.

Вот второе видео, где вы можете увидеть меня Squat 170kg / 374lb за пять повторений. Если это выглядит так, как я наклоняю слишком много вперед, помните, что я приседаю на низком баре и имею короткий туловище с длинными бедрами. Это заставляет меня наклониться вперед, чтобы держать планку над моей серединой. Если бы я попытался приподняться в вертикальном положении со своей строкой и баром, я бы потерял равновесие. Эта форма Squat работает для меня, а моя нижняя часть спины отлично, потому что она остается нейтральной.

Безопасность приседаний

Безопасность колен

Приседания безопасны для ваших коленей, если вы используете правильную форму. Поверните ноги на 30 °. Наденьте колени в том же направлении, нажав их по бокам. Приседайте вниз, одновременно перемещая колени и бедра. Передвиньте бедра назад и вниз, выталкивая колени. Если вы сделаете это правильно, ваши колени переместят первую половину приседания, а затем останутся там, где они есть. Ваши бедра закончат ваш приседаний и несут большую часть веса.

Приседания плохие для ваших коленей, если вы используете плохую форму. Не приседайте, сгибая только колени и двигая их вперед. Используйте ваши сильные и большие мышцы бедра. Приседайте, одновременно согнув колени и бедра. Переместите бедра назад, как сидя в туалете. Выдвиньте свои колени так, чтобы ваши бедра оставались на одном уровне с вашими ногами. Не позволяйте вашим коленям слишком много пещер во время тяжелых приседаний или вы можете повредить коленные суставы.

Частичные приседания не безопаснее для ваших коленей. Они работают на ваших квадроциклах, но едва укрепляют ваши бедра и ягодицы, которые стабилизируют ваши колени. Кулаки ноги не эффективны для укрепления вашей задней цепи. Вы должны приседать и ломаться параллельно, чтобы работать целыми ногами с помощью всего диапазона движения. Это предотвращает дисбаланс мышц. Он воздействует на мышцы вокруг коленных суставов. Это то, как правильные Приседания строят более крепкие и здоровые колени.

Миллионы конкурентоспособных пауэрлифтеров и олимпийских лифтеров приседают по всему миру. Они прерывают параллель каждый раз и приседают тяжелыми весами. Некоторые спортсмены болят на коленях, потому что у каждого вида спорта есть риск получить травму. Но у большинства нет проблем с коленом, несмотря на то, что на корточках тяжело и тяжело. Это не может быть генетикой или удачей, их слишком много. Приседание ниже параллели – естественное движение. Мы сделали это как дети. Мы сделали это, прежде чем сидеть в туалетах.

Но многие считают, что приседание ниже параллели плохо для ваших коленей. Этот миф увековечен людьми, которые болят на коленях на корточках, но кто обвиняет это упражнение, а не признает, что они использовали плохую форму. Люди, которые ненавидят Сприза, любят слышать Приседания плохо для ваших коленей. это удобное оправдание, чтобы облегчить половину приседаний или вовсе не приседать. Но они никогда не наберут сил и сил, как без наркотиков.

Нижняя безопасность

Приседания безопасны для вашей нижней части спины, если вы используете правильную форму. Ваша нижняя часть спины должна оставаться нейтральной. Поддерживайте естественную арку в нижней части спины, как когда вы стоите. Держите планку над своей серединой. Не позволяйте ему двигаться по вашей передней части стопы или он вытащит вас вперед и из равновесия. Вы научитесь продвигаться вперед и заканчиваете опасную работу. Приседайте со штангой над своей серединой и нижней спиной.

Неспособность поддерживать нейтральность позвоночника опасна. Закругление нижней части спины во время тяжелых приседаний сжимает ваши спинные диски. Таким образом, излишняя изогнутость вашей нижней части спины, искривляя ваш спинной хребет в противоположном направлении. Первый сжимает переднюю часть спинного диска, а второй – заднюю. Оба могут вызвать грыжа межпозвоночных дисков. Безопасный путь к Squat с нейтральным позвоночником. Никакой округлой или всеобъемлющей, но естественной арки.

Ваша нижняя часть спины останется нейтральной, если вы вытащите колени. Вдвиньте их в сторону и в направлении пальцев ног. Ваши ноги должны быть 30 °, а ваши пятки на ширине плеч. Приседайте вниз, сгибая бедра и колени одновременно. Колени, бедра назад и вниз. Держите нижнюю часть спины нейтральной, не переусердствуйте. Разрыв параллельно, а затем вернуться. Не уходите вниз, или ваша спина с большей вероятностью будет крутиться.

Не приседайте с ремнем для устранения боли в спине. Ремни добавляют нижнюю опору, давая вашему абсу что-то проталкивать. Ваши мышцы ab могут сокращаться сильнее, что увеличивает давление в вашем животе и насколько тяжело вы можете приседать. Но ремни не защитят ваши спинальные диски от травм, если вы приседаете согнутой спиной. Вам все равно будет больно. Соблюдайте надлежащую форму Приседания перед тем, как носить пояс. Используйте его, чтобы приседать тяжелее, а не потому, что у вас болит спина.

Приседание с надлежащей формой укрепит вашу нижнюю часть спины. Сила тяжести прижимает планку, когда вы приседаете. Мускулы вокруг позвоночника препятствуют его изгибу под весом. Ваши мышцы нижней части спины (erector spinae) и мышцы ab (rectus abdominis) становятся сильнее каждый раз, когда вам удается приседать на 2,5 кг / 5 фунтов больше с нейтральной спиной. Укрепление мышц вокруг позвоночника защищает его от травмы в повседневной жизни.

Неудачная репутация

Приседайте в стойке питания, и вы не застрянете под баром. В стойках с электроприводом имеются горизонтальные штыри для безопасности, чтобы выдержать вес, если вы потерпите неудачу. Эти контакты настраиваются. Установите их ниже, чем ваше нижнее положение вашего приседания, чтобы вы не ударили их по хорошим повторениям (в отличие от меня в видео ниже). Если вы не справитесь с весом, опустите его на штифты, присев на корточки. Вот пример того, что я не уверен в безопасности с 172.5kg / 379lb …

Вы также можете безопасно приземлиться в стойке Squat с предохранительными штифтами. Но штыри должны быть регулируемыми. если они исправлены и не соответствуют вашей сборке, вы ударите их по хорошим повторениям, которые сбросят вас с баланса. Лучше использовать Спринг Стенды с пилой лошадей. Я не рекомендую споттеров для приседаний. Большинство людей не знают, как определить, чтобы вы могли пострадать. Я всегда приседаю на стойке питания, даже если у меня есть доступный считыватель. Это безопаснее.

Не приседайте в машине кузнеца. Это выглядит безопаснее, потому что бар прикреплен к рельсам. Но нет булавки. Вместо этого в баре есть крючки, которые захватывают штифты на машине. Если вы терпите неудачу, вы должны быстро вращать планку, чтобы она ловила контакты. Пропустите его, и вы застрянете между баром и полом, как парень внизу. Даже если вы это сделаете правильно, машины уравновешивают вес. Приседание свободных весов увеличивает силу и мышечную массу.

Техника приседания

Приседание

Высота на плечах. Приседайте с каблуками прямо под вашими плечами. Это создает для вас место, где живот проходит через ваши ноги, когда вы приседаете. Это облегчает ломание. Если у вас длинные бедра с коротким торсом, как я, ваши пятки должны быть немного шире, чем если бы у вас были короткие бедра с длинным торсом. Но ваши пятки всегда должны быть примерно на ширине плеч, когда вы приседаете.

Нет узкой позиции. Труднее нарушить параллель с узкой позицией. Ваш живот блокирует ваши ноги, когда вы приседаете. Это мешает вам опускать бедра ниже колен. Гибкость – это не проблема в этом случае, техника есть. Попытайтесь приседать с более широкой позицией. Положите пятки на ширину плеч и поверните пальцы ног на 30 °. Теперь приседайте, прижимая колени в сторону. У вас будет более легкое время, нарушающее параллель.

Нет широкой сумо-стойки. Не приседайте с широкой стойкой. Ваши ноги не должны касаться стороны стойки Squat. Некоторые пауэрлифтеры Приседают широко, но они обычно носят компрессионные костюмы Squat для защиты своего паха. Мы приседаем сырым. Если вы попытаетесь приседать широко, как режущие пауэрлифтеры, вы рискуете повредить свой пах. Не делай этого. Приседайте с пятками на ширине плеч. Они должны быть прямо под вашими плечами, когда вы приседаете.

Ноги и пальцы ног

Toes Out 30 °. Ваши колени должны быть вне места для вашего живота, когда вы приземлитесь. Ваши колени и ноги должны быть встроенными, чтобы избежать скручивания коленного сустава. Поэтому ваши пальцы должны быть на 30 °. Это облегчает разрывание параллели, держит ваши коленные суставы безопасными и увеличивает ваш приседание (путем привлечения вашего паха и ягодиц больше). Не приседайте ногами прямо, или вы будете пытаться разбить параллель. Выключите их на 30 °.

Ступни на полу. Держи целую ногу на полу, когда присешь. Не поднимайте пальцы ног, иначе вы потеряете равновесие назад. Не поднимайте каблуки, иначе вы потеряете равновесие вперед. Держите пальцы ног, каблуки и переднюю часть стопы на полу. Это увеличивает поверхность, контактирующую с землей. Это улучшает баланс и технику. Вы будете приседать тяжелее, потому что бар будет двигаться в более предсказуемой вертикальной линии.

Не поднимайте пятки! Не кладите кусочек дерева или плиты под ваши пятки. Это неустойчивое решение для групповой помощи. Если ваши пятки отрываются от пола, когда вы приседаете, это обычно означает, что ваша форма приседания неверна. Положите пятки на ширину плеч, поверните пальцы ног на 30 ° и выдвиньте колени в стороны. Держите планку над своей средней ногой, одновременно согнув колени и бедра. Ваши пятки останутся на полу, если вы сделаете это правильно.

Колени

Отодвиньте свои колени. Держите колени в ряд с вашими ногами. Поднимите ширину плеч с ногами на 30 °. Затем нажмите на колени в стороны, пока вы приседаете. Колени создают пространство для вашего живота и облегчают параллель. Он задействует ваши паховые мышцы, которые усиливают ваш приседаний. И это предотвращает скручивание ваших коленных суставов. Не позволяйте коленям впадать во время тяжелых приседаний или вы рискуете ранить колени.

Не указывайте свои колени вперед. Не приседайте, когда ваши колени и ноги направлены прямо вперед. Это ставит ваш живот на ноги и блокирует вас от разрыва. Ваши бедра будут разбивать перед вашими бедрами кости бедра. Ваша поясница будет круглая, и вы получите боль в бедре. Вы будете приседать меньше веса, потому что вы не можете заниматься мышцами паха. Приседайте пальцами на 30 ° и вытащите колени.

Колени над пальцами. Ваши колени должны заканчиваться выше ваших пальцев ног в нижней части вашего приседа. Они будут более продвинутыми, если у вас будут длинные бедра, подобные мне, чем если у вас короткие бедра (или длинные ноги). Но ваши колени должны заканчиваться на ногах и почти прямо над вашими пальцами. Приседайте вниз, выталкивая колени и одновременно вбегая назад. Ваши колени заканчиваются там, где они должны быть, если вы это сделаете правильно.

Не позволяй своим коленям слишком вперед. Ваши колени должны выйти вперед в первой половине пути вниз. Но они должны оставаться там, пока ваши бедра продолжают двигаться вниз. Не приседайте, просто согнув колени. Они заходят слишком далеко вперед, что подчеркивает ваши колени, затрудняет разрыв и убивает силу. Одновременно согните бедра и колени. Выдвиньте свои колени, двигая бедра назад и вниз.

Голень

Наклонные голени. Ваши голени должны быть наклонены в нижней части вашего приседа. Они будут более наклонными, если у вас будут длинные бедра, подобные мне, чем если у вас короткие бедра. Но они никогда не должны быть перпендикулярны полу, иначе вы потеряете равновесие. Лучше не беспокоиться о своих голенях, когда вы приседаете. Сосредоточьтесь на приседаниях вниз, одновременно выталкивая колени и свои бедра. Ваши голени заканчиваются наклон в нижней части вашего приседа.

Нет перпендикулярных голени! Вам нужна широкая сумо-стойка, чтобы ваши голени были вертикальными. Но это тяжело для ваших бедер и паха, как объяснялось в разделе стойки. Приседание с положением ширины плеча является более безопасным. Это заставляет ваши голени наклоняться внизу, чтобы сохранить равновесие. Не пытайтесь держать голени вертикальными, иначе вы будете наклоняться вперед, может повредить нижнюю часть спины и прижать меньше веса. Пусть ваши голени двигаются наклон.

Бедра

Бедра назад на пути вниз. Приседайте вниз, сгибая бедра и колени одновременно. Переместите бедра назад, как сидя в туалете. В то же время надавите на колени. Не сгибайте только бедра, или ваш торс будет гореть горизонтально. Но не сгибайте колени только или они придут слишком вперед. Одновременно перемещайте бедра и колени. Бар должен оставаться уравновешенным и двигаться вертикально над вашей средней ногой.

Бедра вверх по пути вверх. Приседайте, прижимая бедра прямо к потолку. Держите свою грудь вверх, верхнюю часть спины плотно и бар над вашей серединой ноги. Не позволяйте бедрам подниматься быстрее, чем ваш сундук, или вы наклоняетесь вперед и оканчиваетесь опасным положением. Одновременно поднимайте бедра и сундук. Поддерживайте задний угол, который у вас был внизу. Бар должен двигаться вверх по вертикальной линии над вашей средней ногой.

Нижняя часть

Нижний Нейтральный. Поддержание естественной кривой в нижней части спины, когда вы приседаете. Не позволяйте своей нижней части спины обходить ее. Оба сжимают спинные диски, которые могут вызвать боль в спине или травмы, такие как грыжа межпозвоночных дисков. Ваша нижняя часть спины не должна оставаться плоской, но иметь естественную кривую, например, когда вы стоите. Держите свою грудь вверх, выжмите колени и не пойдете глубже, чем параллельно. Ваша нижняя часть спины останется нейтральной, когда вы приземлитесь.

Рукоятка

Средний захват. Возьмитесь за бар, как вы делаете для скамьи. Поместите свой мизинец в метки кольца вашего бара. Затем сжимайте плечевые лопасти, чтобы поддерживать планку мышцами верхней части спины. Вы можете захватить шину шире, если ваши плечи плотно, чтобы вы могли приседать без боли. Но верхняя часть спины будет более свободной, и стержень может копаться в вашем позвоночнике. Работайте на гибкость плеча, чтобы вы могли сузить время схватывания.

Сожмите Бар. Чем сложнее вы сжимаете планку, тем труднее сжимаются руки, плечи и мышцы верхней части спины. Это увеличивает поддержку бара, делает его менее вероятным для перемещения по спине и, следовательно, увеличивает силу. При установке для приседаний хватайте за штангу. Держите его затянутым, прежде чем разобрать планку. Сожмите его, чтобы он не мог двигаться. Не расслабляйтесь и не открывайте руки, пока вы приседаете. Держите их закрытыми.

Полный захват против большого пальца. Полный захват позволяет вам сжать бар сильнее, что добавляет силы. Это дает вам больше контроля над баром и чувствует себя более безопасным. Но ваши запястья будут согнуть больше. Бесконечная рукоятка держит ваши запястья более прямыми. Но он может чувствовать себя небезопасным, вы не можете сжать планку так сильно, и ваши запястья все еще могут согнуть, если вы попытаетесь удержать планку руками. Попробуйте захватить пальцы руки, если ваши запястья и локти повредились.

Не держите планку руками. Это приседание, а не скамья. Если вы попытаетесь удержать вес руками, ваши запястья и локти повредит, когда вес станет тяжелым. Вы должны поддерживать планшет с помощью более сильных мышц верхней части спины. Держите и сожмите планку. Но пусть ваш спина поддерживает вес. Приседание с большой рукой может научить вас поддерживать планку с помощью верхней части спины.

Положение бара

Высокий бар. Первый способ Back Squat состоит в том, что на ваших ловушках есть штанга, внизу у вас шея. Squeeze your traps so the bar doesn’t dig into your spine. The narrower your grip, the harder you can squeeze, the more your muscles can support the bar. Your torso will be more vertical when you Squat high bar to keep it balanced over your mid-foot. Your knees will come more forward and your hips will move less back.

Low Bar. The second way to Back Squat is with the bar between your traps and rear shoulders, at the top of your shoulder-blades (лопаточный позвоночник). Squeeze your shoulder-blades together to create muscle support for the bar and so it can’t dig in your spine. You’ll lean more forward when you Squat low bar to keep it balanced over your mid-foot. Your hips will move more back and your knees will come less forward.

High bar vs Low Bar. High bar is easier on the shoulders, wrists and elbows. Low bar increases your Squat by 10-20% by using more hips. That’s why Powerlifters Squat low bar and why I do it too. Most people Squat high bar because it’s more natural. If your shoulders don’t like the low bar position, stick with high bar. It’s better than not Squatting at all. If you want to Squat as heavy as you can, do low bar.

Center The Bar. If you Squat with the bar resting more on one side of your back, you’ll load your spine, hips and knees unevenly. This can cause pain and injury. Squat with the bar centered. Center it before you unrack the weight, not after. Ask someone to check if the bar is centered or videotape yourself from the back. After a couple of times you’ll remember what centered feels like and won’t need any feedback.

elbows

Behind Your Torso At The Top. Don’t Squat with vertical forearms and your elbows under the bar. The weight will compress your wrists, bend them back and cause wrist/elbow pain. But don’t raise your elbows all the way up either until your forearms are horizontal to the floor. This will cause shoulder pain and upper-back rounding. Lift your elbows slightly behind your torso at the top so your forearms are incline.

Incline at The Bottom. Keep your elbows inline with your torso at the bottom of your Squat. Your forearms shouldn’t be horizontal or vertical to the floor. Horizontal forearms causes upper-back rounding and shoulder pain. Vertical forearms causes wrist and elbow pain. Keep your forearms incline. Your elbows should start behind your torso at the top, and stay there while your torso moves from vertical to incline.

Upper-back

Squeeze Your Shoulder-blades. The bar will dig into your spine and hurt if you Squat with your upper-back loose. Tighten your upper-back to create a muscle shelf for the bar to rest on. Squeeze your shoulder-blades together when you setup for the Squat. Squeeze them before you unrack the weight, not after. You don’t need to wrap a towel around the bar or use a foam pad if you Squat with your upper-back tight.

Arch Your Upper-back. The bar will move if your upper-back rounds during Squat. It will roll up and away from your balance point (your mid-foot), and pull you forward. You’ll lean forward, end in a dangerous goodmorning position and put your lower back at risk. Keep your upper-back arched when you Squat. Raise your chest, squeeze your shoulder-blades together and squeeze the bar. Take a big breath between reps to hold it.

chest

Raise Your Chest. Your upper-back must stay arched when you Squat so the bar can’t move and pull you forward. Raise your chest before you unrack the bar. Raise it again at the top of every rep before you Squat down. Keep your chest up by taking a big breath and holding it before you Squat down. Don’t breathe on the way down or you’ll lose tension and your chest will collapse. Hold your breath until you’re back up.

Голова

Head Inline with Torso. Look at a point on the floor in front of you. If you Squat in front of a wall as I do, look at the bottom of the wall. Don’t look at the ceiling or you’ll hurt your neck. Don’t look sideways when you rack/unrack the weight or you’ll twist your neck. Don’t look at your feet or your upper-back will round. Keep your neck inline with your torso. Straight line head to hips. This keeps your neck safe and your chest up.

Don’t Look Up. Looking up during heavy Squats squeezes the spinal discs in your neck. This can cause neck pain and injury. Many strong Squatters look up during Squats and seem to be fine. But you may not be that lucky. The safest position for your neck is always to keep it neutral like when you stand. It will feel weird to Squat like this if you’re used to look up. But you’ll get used to it if you keep practicing.

Ignore Mirrors. Checking you form by Squatting in front of a mirror forces you to look up at the bottom. This is bad for your neck. Checking your form in the mirror aside of you is even worse because it twists your neck. I don’t have mirrors in my home gym. If you face one when you Squat, look “through it”. Fix a point at the bottom without looking at how you move. Then check your Squat form by videotaping yourself.

Back Angle

Depends on Build. People with a short torso and long thighs like me lean more forward when they Squat. Long thighs put your hips more back. Your torso must lean forward more to keep the bar balanced over your mid-foot. People with a long torso and short thighs Squat more upright. This means your build determines your best back angle. Don’t copy the Squat form of someone with a different body-type.

Depends on Bar Position. You’ll lean more forward when you Squat low bar than high bar. The lower the bar on your back, the more you must lean forward to keep the bar balanced over your mid-foot. The higher the bar on your back, the more your torso can be upright. Low bar Squats with an upright torso doesn’t work, you’ll fall backward. High bar Squats wth forward lean doesn’t work either, the weight will pull you forward.

Bar over Mid-foot Matters. Your back angle is correct if the bar moves over your mid-foot. The middle of your foot is your balance point. The bar is balanced when it starts, moves and ends over your mid-foot. This is regardless of how high or low you put the bar on your back, or how long or short your thighs and torso are. Focus on moving the bar in a vertical line over your mid-foot and your back angle will take care of itself.

Unracking

Настроить. Face the bar. It should be at mid-chest level in your uprights. Grab the bar, dip under it and put it on your back. Move your feet under the bar, raise your chest and arch your upper-back. Don’t unrack with a loose upper-back or the bar will press on your spine. Plus you can’t squeeze your back once the unracked bar is crushing you. Get tight before you unrack the bar. And keep your lower back and neck neutral.

Squat Up. Unrack the bar by straightening your legs. Your feet should be under the bar with your hips and knees bent as if doing a half Squat. Now unrack the bar by Squatting up. Don’t unrack with your feet behind the bar or you’ll stress your back. Don’t unrack lunge-style with one feet back or you’ll put uneven stress on your spine. Put your feet under the bar, Squat straight up and keep your heels on the floor.

Walk Back. Unrack the bar by walking back. You want to see the uprights when your set is done so you can rack the weight safely. Face the bar and unrack it by Squatting straight up. Then walk back by taking one step back with each leg. Don’t take a ton of steps back. Keep the walk back short to save strength. This also keeps the uprights close when your set is done. Walk back, lock your hips and knees, and you’re ready to Squat.

Спуск

Knees Out, Hips Back. Squat down by bending your knees and hips at the same time. Don’t just bend your knees or they’ll come too far forward. Don’t just push your hips back either or you’ll lean too far forward. Move them both at the same time. Your knees will move the first half of your Squat but then stay where they are. Your hips then finish the movement by breaking parallel while your lower back stays neutral.

Bar Over Mid-Foot. The bar must move in a vertical line over your mid-foot when you Squat. If it doesn’t, the weight will pull you forward or back and you’ll lose balance. Keep the bar over the middle of you foot by bending your knees and hips at same time. Lock the bar on your upper-back so it can’t move and cause bad balance. Keep your chest up, pinch your shoulder-blades together and squeeze the bar hard.

Under Control, Not Slow. The faster you Squat down, the harder you’ll rebound from your stretched leg muscles at the bottom and the stronger you’ll be on the way up. But go down too fast and you’ll struggle to Squat with proper form. Bad form negates any advantage Squatting down fast gives. Squat down as fast as you can while maintaining proper form. Don’t be slow but do control the bar on the way down.

Низ

Разрыв параллельный. The top of your knees must be higher than your hip crease at the bottom of each Squat rep. This means thighs parallel to the floor isn’t low enough. They should be slightly incline so you break parallel. If you can’t, widen your stance so your heels are shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out 30° and push your knees out while you Squat down. This will create space for your belly to move through your legs.

No Half Reps! Используйте весь диапазон движения. Squat down until your hip crease is lower than the top of your knees. Half Squats don’t count. They train your quads but not your hips and glutes. They create muscle imbalances that cause knee injuries. And they build fake strength: the weight is easier to Squat because it moves less distance. But you’re working less muscles. Break parallel. If you can’t, the weight is too heavy.

Don’t Go “ATG”. You don’t have to Squat “ass-to-grass” until your butt touches your ankles. You do want to use a full range of motion. But you’re already doing that by breaking parallel. Squatting deeper further increases the range of motion. But it also decreases how heavy you’ll Squat. And most people can’t keep their lower back neutral when they Squat deep. Break parallel, then come back up. Don’t go too deep.

Rebound. Squat down, break parallel, then quickly reverse the movement by Squatting back up. The weight will be easier to Squat because you’ll use the Stretch Reflex, Your leg muscles will contract harder because the way down stretched them. The harder your muscles contract, the stronger you are on the way up. The key is to maintain proper form at the bottom by keeping your knees out, hips back and lower back neutral.

Don’t Pause. You lose the Stretch Reflex if you pause at the bottom of your Squat. This makes the weight harder to lift. You’ll Squat more weight if you rebound off your stretched leg muscles at the bottom. Squat down, break parallel, then come back up. Don’t pause at the bottom, reverse the movement quickly instead. Use proper form by controlling the bar. Keep your knees out, hips back and lower back neutral at the bottom.

Путь вверх

Hips Up, Knees Out. Squat back up by moving your hips straight up. Don’t move them forward or your knees will forward too which kills strength. Don’t move your hips back or your knees will move back and you’ll lean forward more to maintain balance. Squat up by moving your hips straight to the ceiling while pushing your knees out. If you do it right, the bar will move in a vertical line over your mid-foot while you Squat up.

Maintain Your Back Angle. Move your hips and chest up at the same time. If your hips rise faster, you’ll lean forward more which turns your Squats into a goodmorning. This is dangerous for your lower back and ineffective for Squatting heavy. Maintain your back angle when you Squat out of the bottom. It should be constant until you’re about half way up. Keep your chest up and upper-back tight while your hips move up.

Bar over Mid-Foot. You’re Squatting up correctly if the bar moves in a vertical line over the middle of your feet. If the bar moves over your toes when you Squat up, it will pull you forward and out of balance. If the bar moves towards your ankles, it will pull you back and out of balance. The weight is always easier to Squat and safer for your joints if the bar moves over your mid-foot. Think of Squatting the bar straight up.

Between Reps

Lock Your Knees. Finish every Squat rep by locking your knees. Don’t stand with bent legs to keep tension on your muscles. Let your skeleton hold the weight by locking your knees. This works your quads through a full range of motion and makes the bar easier to hold. And it’s safe if you don’t bend your knees backwards and past their normal range of motion. Lock your knees gently at the top. The rep doesn’t count if you don’t.

Lock Your Hips. Every Squat rep must end with locked hips and knees. Don’t stand with your hips unlocked or back at the top. This causes you to lean forward and stresses your lower back. Stand tall and lock your hips so you have a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. You can squeeze your glutes if it helps reminding you to lock your hips. But don’t let your lower back round. Keep it neutral at the top.

Get Tight. When you’re ready to Squat your next rep, get tight. Raise your chest, arch your upper-back and pinch your shoulder-blades. Squeeze the bar so it can’t move while you Squat. Then take a big breath, hold it and Squat down. Take your time to get tight before you Squat down. You’ll have better form and more strength. But don’t wait hours at the top. It shouldn’t take you more than a couple of seconds to get tight.

Racking

Finish Your Squat First. Stand tall with your hips and knees locked before you rack the weight. Don’t try to Squat it straight into the uprights. One, that rep doesn’t count because you never locked it out. Two, you’re stressing your lower back by moving the bar in a diagonal line vs a vertical one. Three, you could miss the uprights and get hurt. Stand tall with your hips and knees locked before you rack the bar.

Aim For The Rack. Rack the bar by walking forward until it hits the vertical parts of your Power Rack. Then bend your legs and the bar will land in the uprights. Don’t turn year head to check the uprights or you can tweak your neck. Don’t try to put the bar in the uprights either, you can miss them. Walk the bar against your power rack instead. When the bar touches it, it’s over your uprights. Just bend your legs to rack the weight.

Bar Path

Vertical Line. The bar must move in a vertical line when you Squat. This is the shortest distance to move the bar down and back up. Any horizontal bar movement during your Squat is ineffective. It makes the bar path longer, causes bad balance and stresses your joints. Stand with the bar over your mid-foot, on your back. Squat down by bending your hips and knees. Let your torso go incline so the bar moves over your mid-foot.

Bar over Mid-Foot. The middle of your foot is your balance point. The bar is balanced when it moves over your mid-foot during your Squat. If the bar moves over your forefoot or toes at any point, it will pull you forward and out of balance. If it moves back to your ankles, it will pull you back, you’ll feel like falling backwards and have to take a step back. Keep the bar over your mid-foot when you Squat.

breathing

Inhale At The Top. Inhale before you unrack the bar and walk it back. Inhale again when you’re ready to Squat, right before you go down. Raise your chest, pinch your shoulder-blades and squeeze the bar. Take a big breath, hold it and then Squat down. Taking this big breath will help you keep your chest up. It prevents your upper-back from rounding which can cause you to lean forward during your Squat.

Hold At The Bottom. Don’t exhale while you Squat down or at the bottom of your Squat. You’ll lose tension in your ribcage and abdomen. Your chest will collapse and your upper-back will round. The bar will move around and cause you to learn forward. All of this decreases strength while putting your spine and joints at risk. Hold your breath on the way down and at the bottom of your Squat.

Exhale At The Top. Squat the weight back up and exhale at the top. You can slowly exhale on the way up against your closed glottis if the weight moves up slowly and the pressure is high. Once you’re at the top, take as many breaths as you want before going back down. Once you’re ready for your next set, raise your chest and arch your upper-back. Then take a big breath, hold it and Squat back down.

Общие вопросы

Can’t Break Parallel

If you can’t break parallel when you Squat, your stance is too narrow. Put your heels shoulder-width apart and turn your toes 30° out. Then Squat down while pushing your knees out. This creates space for your belly to move through your legs. Most people can instantly break parallel by fixing their Squat stance. If it doesn’t work for you because your hips are tight, do the Toddler Squat described below to increase your flexibility.

Losing Balance

The bar is balanced when it moves over your mid-foot. The middle of your foot is your balance point. Test this by standing with the bar on your back. Lean slightly forward with straight legs and feel how the bar pulls you forward. Lean slightly back and feel how it pulls you back. Stand tall with the bar over your mid-foot and feel how it’s now balanced. Bar over mid-foot is your strongest position where you can stand forever.

If the bar is not over your mid-foot at any point when you Squat, you’ll lose balance. You’ll lose balance forward if the bar comes over your toes. You’ll lose balance backwards if it moves to your ankles. The easy fix is to think of moving the bar in a vertical line over your mid-foot. Make sure you stand with your heels shoulder-width apart and toes 30° out so you can keep the bar over your mid-foot when you Squat.

Don’t use machines because you lose balance when you Squat. The only way to learn how to balance the weight when you Squat is to balance the weight when you Squat. You don’t learn it by relying on a machine that balances it for you. As soon as you move to free weights, you’ll have to start from scratch again. Start with free weights immediately and stick with them. Start light and Squat in the Power Rack if you’re scared of injury.

Leaning Forward

You’ll lean forward on the Squat when your hips raise faster than your chest. Squat up by moving your hips and chest at the same time. Don’t let your hips raise faster than your chest or your torso will end too horizontal with the floor. This can cause the bar to roll up your back, to your neck, and pull you forward. Keep your back angle constant on the way up. Your hips and chest must move up at the same time.

Heels Come Up

Your heels will come off the floor if you Squat with a narrow stance. Put your heels shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out 30° and Squat down by bending your hips and knees at the same time. Hips back, knees out. Your knees should move the first half of your Squat and then stay there while your hips keep moving. Don’t let your knees come too forward or the bar will end over your toes, pull you forward and raise your heels.

Don’t Squat with a plate or piece of wood under your heels. This is a band-aid solution that creates new issues instead of fixing the bad Squat form. Squatting with elevated heels stresses your knees more by moving them further forward. It’s also unstable and thus dangerous for Squatting heavy weights. And it doesn’t fix flexibility issues or bad Squat form. Keep your heels on the floor instead of putting stuff under them.

If you think your heels come off the floor because your hips or ankles are tight, do the Toddler Squat every day for 10 minutes. This will increase your flexibility for Squats. But remember stretching doesn’t fix bad form. If your heels come off the floor because your stance is too narrow, then widen your stance. Stretching won’t fix that. You have to fix it by Squatting with your heels shoulder-width apart, toes out and knees out.

Check your shoes as well. You need hard soles that don’t compress under the weight. That means no running shoes with air or gel filling. The weight of the bar will compress the soles of running shoes when you Squat. It will compress it unpredictable ways which can cause your heel to come off the floor. Try barefoot and check if that keeps your heel down. Then get shoes with a hard sole like Chuck Taylor’s.

Lower Back Rounding

Lower back rounding during Squats is bad for your spine. it compresses your spinal discs and can herniate them. Your lower back will round if you Squat with your knees pointing forward. This puts the front of your hips in the way of the top your thighs. Your hips can’t go below parallel because your thighs are in the way. Squat with your heels shoulder-with apart, toes out and knees out. Your lower back will stay neutral.

Your lower back will also round if you go too deep. Squat down until you hip crease is below the top of your knees. But don’t go deeper and ass-to-grass or your lower back will usually round. If you insist on going deep, make sure you Squat high bar so your torso can stay upright. Squatting ass-to-grass with a low bar position doesn’t work. Your lower back will round at the bottom because your torso is less upright.

The Buttwink is usually just lower back rounding. Don’t go lower than below parallel and push your knees out – solved. Sometimes the buttwink is the result of overarching. You can’t keep your lower back overarched at the bottom. It will move to neutral which can look like lower back rounding. But it’s just a reset. Squat with a natural arch like when you stand. Ribcage down, lower back neutral, abs squeezed. No more buttwink.

Knees Cave In

Squatting with your knees caved in is bad for your knees. It twists your knee joints. Some knee caving in may happen during heavy Squats and max attempts. But excess knee caving in on every rep and set will cause pain inside your knees. Overtime this can cause a knee injury. Your thighs must stay inline with your feet when you Squat. This prevents twisting of your knee joints and ligaments. It keeps them safe.

Keep your knees out when you Squat. Push them to the side. Push them out both when you Squat down and when you Squat back up. External hip rotation is the goal: rotate your right thigh clockwise and your left thigh counter-clockwise. Your toes should be 30° out so your feet and thighs are parallel. Your heels should be shoulder-width apart. Don’t Squat with a wider stance of it will be harder to keep your knees out.

Banded Squats can help keeping your knees out. Loop a resistance band around your thighs and Squat. The band will cue you to keep your knees out. You can use a light kettlebell but the focus is to Squat right, not heavy. Do Banded Squats as a corrective exercise after your Squats and on your off days. Expect to feel this in your glutes and groin muscles which work when you Squat with your knees out.

Fear of Squats

Fear of Squats is normal. The weight can be tough to Squat. You can fail or injure yourself. Your body has therefore good reason to perceive Squats as a threat. That’s why you may feel fear when you approach the bar. You may also feel anxiety leading to the workout, like when driving to the gym. I’ve been Squatting for 16 years and still experience fear sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with this, it’s part of the game.

The best way to overcome fear of Squats is to Squat. Every Squat set you finish safely is positive feedback. This feedback grows your courage and confidence over time. It doesn’t remove the fear of Squats. It just teaches you to be comfortable Squatting despite feeling fear. Because you know, from Squatting safely over and over, that everything is going to be just fine. This is like cognitive behavior therapy for Squats.

The key is positive feedback. Failing a rep isn’t negative feedback. Failing a rep without Power Rack, getting stuck under the bar and then injuring your back is. That causes more fear. You have to Squat safely. Squat in the Power Rack, set the safety pins and use proper form. When you Squat safely this way without injuring yourself because the pins caught the rack, you know you’re safe. This is positive feedback.

Don’t hesitate failing Squats on purpose a few times to overcome the fear of the unknown. This way you know how it will feel like when you fail to Squat a real and heavier weight. When you approach the bar and you feel fear coming up, don’t pay too much attention to it. Notice it, take a few deep breaths to calm you down, and walk to the bar. Setup as you always do, unrack the weight and do your Squats.

Common Squat Pains

Neck Pain

Squats will hurt your neck if you hold the bar wrong. Your muscles must support the weight, not your spine. Don’t Squat with a loose upper-back or the bar will dig into your spine. Squeeze your upper-back before you unrack. Grip the bar narrow so you can squeeze harder. Stay tight during your Squats so the bar can’t move on your back and roll to your neck. If you hold the bar right, your neck will never hurt when you Squat.

Don’t use a foam pad, wrap a towel around the bar or get a manta ray. They put the bar higher and further from your hips. They make it harder to keep your chest up. You’ll lean forward more easily which can hurt your back. Hold the bar right, don’t use band-aid solutions. Frankly, I Squatted with a foam pad at first. But I haven’t used one in 15 years despite tripling my Squat and wearing just a t-shirt. Proper form is the key.

Keep your head neutral when you Squat. Don’t look up or you’ll squeeze the spinal discs in your neck. Doing this during heavy Squats is dangerous for your neck. Squat with your head inline with your torso. Don’t turn it to look at the uprights when you rack the bar or to check your form in the side mirror. Look forward at a point on the floor in front of you. Look at the bottom of the wall if you face one when you Squat.

Wrist Pain

Squats will hurt your wrists if you hold the bar with your hands. Your upper-back must support it. If you hold the weight with your hands, it will press your wrists down, bend them back and stretch them past their normal range of motion. This will hurt your wrists and elbows. You must support the bar with your stronger and bigger upper-back muscles. The weight is too heavy to hold for your smaller hands.

Squatting with a thumbless grip will keep pressure off your wrists. Put your thumbs on top of the bar instead of around it. This keeps your wrists straight and inline with your forearms. It forces you to support the bar with your upper-back and prevents excess wrist bending. But it usually feels less secure at first. Make sure your elbows are behind your torso at the top. This creates extra upper-back support for the bar.

Holding the bar too low can also cause wrist pain. It must rest between your traps and rear shoulders when you Squat low bar. It can’t rest lower or the bar will slide down while you Squat. Your hands then have to hold it back which causes wrist pain. Hold the bar between your traps and rear shoulders, not lower. Squeeze your upper-back, lift your chest and pull your elbows back so the bar can’t move while you Squat.

Squat with a quality bar. Don’t use a cheap bar with fixed sleeves. The outside part where you put the plates on (the sleeves) must be able to rotate independently of the bar. If they’re fixed, the bar will beat up your wrist and elbows when the plates spin while you Squat. Use an Olympic Barbell with rotating sleeves. Make sure the bar is straight and well maintained so it rotates properly when you Squat.

Wrist wraps can give your wrists support. They prevent excess wrist bending and act like a cast. But they don’t fix bad form/equipment. Grip the bar right before you wear wrist wraps. Don’t hold it with your hands or too low on your back. Widen your grip, try high bar and use a better bar. If your wrist hurt regardless of what you do, then maybe try these or these wrist wraps. But always check your form first.

Elbow Pain

Elbow pain on Squats usually goes together with wrist pain from bent wrists. Hold the bar with your upper-back not your hands. Keep it on your traps (high bar) or between your traps and rear shoulders (low bar). Don’t hold the bar lower than your rear shoulders or it will slide down, bend your wrists and strain your elbows. Try to Squat with a thumbless grip to keep you wrist straighter and inline with your forearms.

Your elbows must be behind your torso at the top of your Squat. Your forearms can’t be vertical or the bar will press down on your hands, bend your wrists and strain your elbows. Push your elbows back at the top so your forearms are incline. Keep your forearms incline and parallel with your torso at the bottom of your Squats. Don’t push your elbows forward or you’ll twist and strain your elbow joints.

Tight forearms can also cause elbow pain on Squats. You’re gripping tight on all StrongLifts 5×5 exercises. You may also be gripping a lot at work or do other sports like climbing or grappling. All that gripping can tighten your forearm muscles and cause inner elbow pain. Try stretching your wrist extensors. Sit on all fours with your fingers pointing to your knees. Lock your elbows, spread your fingers and let it stretch. Be gentle!

Knee Pain

Squats cause knee pain if your knees cave in, travel too far forward or if you never break parallel. Push your knees to the side when you Squat, push your hips back at the same time, and go down until your hip crease is below the top of knees. If you Squat like this, you’ll strengthen the muscles around your knees. This will increase support for your knee joint. The key is to Squat with proper form.

Squatting with knee sleeves can help. They’re made of 7-9mm rubber or neoprene and go around your knees. They trap heat and sweat around your knee joint. This lubricates your knees, increases mobility and decreases the risk of injury. Knee sleeves also gives you extra support which can increase your confidence to Squat if you’re afraid of hurting your knees. Here are some recommended knee sleeves…

Note that knee sleeves won’t prevent injuries from Squatting with bad form. If you do Quarter Squats with your knees caving in on each rep, you’ll get hurt with or without knee sleeves. The injury could be worse if the knee sleeves made you think your knees are bulletproof. Make sure you use proper form when you Squat. Knees out, use your hips and break parallel. Don’t use knee sleeves and then Squat with bad form.

Knee wraps aren’t knee sleeves. Knee wraps are stiffer. They compress your knees which increases your Squat (sometimes by 30kg/65lb). And they numb your legs if you don’t remove the knee wraps after each set. Knee sleeves are easier to use. If you use knee wraps, get short and thin ones so you get minimal support. Don’t get thick and long knee sleeves. They’re for geared Squatters, not raw Squatters like us.

Lower Back Pain

Squats cause back pain if you fail to keep your lower back neutral. Rounding or excess arching compresses your lower back discs and can herniate them. Rotation or uneven loading of your spine is also bad. You must maintain a natural arch when you Squat. And your pelvis must stay neutral with the floor. This is Squatting with proper form. It strengthens the muscles around your spine which protects it against injury.

Lower back rounding you fix by pushing your knees out and not Squatting too low. Break parallel and come back up, don’t go ass-to-grass. Excess lower back arching you fix by keeping your ribcage down and squeezing your abs. Rotation you fix by centering the bar on your back before you unrack it. Uneven loading you fix by unracking the bar with both feet under the bar, and the bar at mid-chest level in the uprights.

During your Squat, avoid excess forward lean. Keep the bar balanced over your mid-foot. Don’t let it move up your spine, over your toes, or it will pull you forward. Squeeze your upper-back tight so the bar can’t move. Squat up by moving your hips and chest up at the same time. Maintain your back angle on the way up. Don’t let your hips rise faster than your chest or your torso will end too horizontal and stress your back.

Finish every Squat rep by standing with locked hips. Don’t keep your hips back at the top or you’ll stress your lower back. Stand tall so you have a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Your lower back shouldn’t be flat but have a natural arch like when you stand. It can’t have any excess arching (hyper-lordosis). But you can’t round your lower back at the top by tucking your pelvis under either. Оставайтесь нейтральными.

Proper breathing is crucial to avoid lower back pain on the Squat. You must take a big breath and hold it before you Squat down. You must keep holding it on the way down until you come back up. Don’t exhale on the way down or at the bottom. This empties your lungs and releases tension in your torso. It puts your lower back at risk. Take a big breath and hold it so you stay tight. This increases lower back support and safety.

Squatting with a belt can give your lower back further support. But it won’t prevent injuries from Squatting with bad form. Worse, it can encourage you to continue to Squat with bad form by making you think your back is invincible. This can make any back injury worse because of the heavier Squat weight thanks to the belt. Don’t wear a belt to fix back pain from bad form. Fix your Squat form instead. Then add a belt to lift more.

Hip Pain

Hip pain on Squats happens if you Squat with your knees pointing forward. This causes the top of your thighs to smash against the front of your hips. It impinges the tissues inbetween. Push your knees out when you Squat to create space for your hips. Put your heels shoulder-width apart, turn your toes out 30° and push your knees to the side. Keep them out so you stop impinging your hips and break parallel more easily.

Squats can also cause hip pain if you fail to finish your Squats with locked hips. Don’t keep your hips back at the top of each rep. Finish your Squats by standing tall. Push your hips forward so you have a straight line from shoulders to ankles. It may help to think about squeezing your glutes. But make sure this cue doesn’t cause you to round your lower back at the top. Hips locked, neutral lower back.

Groin Pain

Squats can cause groin pain if you stand too wide. Don’t Squat with a sumo stance. Don’t imitate geared powerlifters who Squat wide. They wear compressive Squat suits that protect their groin. Raw Squatters like us don’t and Squatting wide will stress our groin. Narrow your stance so your heels are shoulder-width apart. You can go even narrower for a while to engage your adductors less so your groin can recover.

Squat Stretches

Hip Flexibility

The Toddler Squat is the best stretch for the Squat. You do it by resting in the bottom Squat position for about a minute. This stretches your hips and ankles so you can break parallel more easily when you Squat. The name comes from toddlers who naturally Squat to play. Some call this the Asian Squat (or “Thirld World Squat”…) because adults in Asia often rest in the Squat position when waiting for the bus or eating.

Toddler Squats are effective because they stretch all the muscles you Squat with. They stretch them at the same time, using just one exercise and the way you use them for Squats. This beats stretching your hamstrings by touching your toes. Remember Squats are a compound exercise. You have to stretch the whole movement, not a single muscle. The Toddler Squats works because it stretches the Squat movement.

To do the Toddler Squat, Squat down without using weight. Put your heels shoulder-width apart and toes 30° out. Keep your knees out, chest up and head neutral. Rest below parallel for a minute (or less if that’s too long). Then Squat up, rest and repeat. Do 5-10 mins daily and try to hold longer each time. Keep your heels on the floor. Hold on to something if you lose balance. It’s normal for your shins and hips to get sore.

Everyone should be able to do the Toddler Squat for 10 minutes. Remember humans used to Squat daily and break parallel before toilets exists. But most people grow up sitting on toilets, in cars, at work, in the couch and so on. if you stop Squatting below parallel, you eventually lose the ability to do it. Luckily you can regain it quickly and easily if you Squat daily like your ancestors did by doing the Toddler Squat.

Quick warning if you have a history of knee pain: take it slowly. The Toddler Squat will stretch your knee joint. This can be hard on your knees. Don’t drop into the bottom position, control it. Don’t bounce off your knees to Squat lower. Keep your heels on the floor and your knees inline with your feet. Most important, let pain be your guide. Some discomfort is fine, you’re stretching. But if your joints are killing you, stop it.

Once you’ve increased your hip flexibility with the Toddler Squat, you can easily maintain it by Squatting several times a week like on StrongLifts 5×5. Squats moves your legs through a full range of motion when you break parallel. They stretch and strengthen your hips. They’re your weekly practice of Squatting below parallel so you maintain hip flexibility. Squats don’t make you inflexible because you must be flexible to Squat.

Shoulder Flexibility

Shoulders Dislocations are the best upper-body stretch for the Squat. You do it by lifting a broomstick from your thighs over your head and behind your back. This stretches your chest, shoulders and upper-back. It makes the bar easier to hold across your back for the Squat. And it won’t actually dislocate your shoulders, it just stretches them. Gymnasts have used Shoulders Dislocations for decades as a stretching exercise.

You can do Shoulders Dislocations with a broomstick, resistance band, pvc pipe or rope. Just make sure it’s long enough. The tighter your shoulders are, the wider the grip you need. Don’t do Shoulders Dislocations too narrow or you’ll hurt your elbows and shoulders. I recommend you use a long broomstick with a wide grip. Narrow your grip as your flexibility improves but never go narrower than 1.5x your shoulder-width.

If your elbows bend when you do Shoulders Dislocations, your grip is too narrow. Grip the bar wider so your arms stay straight. The goal is to move from your shoulders, not your elbows. If your elbows bend, your shoulders and chest get less of a stretch. Keep your elbows locked. Keep also your lower back neutral. Don’t compensate for tight shoulders by overaching. Maintain a natural curve in your lower back.

Warmup for Squats by doing 3×10 Shoulders Dislocations first. This will loosen your shoulders and make the bar easier to hold on your back. Your shoulder flexibility will improve even faster if you do Shoulders Dislocations on the days you’re not lifting as well. Meanwhile, grip the bar wider on Squats so it feels less uncomfortable. Narrow your grip as your flexibility improves. Note that Squatting itself will stretch your shoulders.

Don’t try Shoulders Dislocations with a barbell. You may be able to raise it overhead, but dropping it behind your back is dangerous. It can dislocate your shoulders because the weight will be too heavy for your shoulders to control. Use the broomstick. If you want resistance, use a mini resistance band. If you want weight, add the smallest amount of weight possible (0.5kg/1lb). But don’t use a barbell for Shoulders Dislocations.

Оборудование

Power Rack

You need a Power Rack to Squat heavy safely. Power Racks have four vertical poles with uprights and horizontal safety pins. You use the uprights to put the bar on and off your back. You use the adjustable safety pins to catch the bar if you fail to Squat the weight back up. The bar moves freely so you decide where it goes and Squat using a natural movement. You balance the weight which builds more strength and muscle mass.

The racks should be about mid-chest level. Most people set them too high. This is unsafe because you have to get on your toes to rack/unrack the bar. Your whole feet must stay on the floor for proper balance. But the uprights can’t be too low or your legs will bend more to unrack the bar. This wastes strength for your Squats. Set the uprights mid-chest level so you just have to straighten your bent legs to unrack the bar.

The horizontal safety pins must be lower than the bottom position of your Squat. Don’t set them too high or you’ll hit them on good reps. This will throw the bar off balance and is a stupid way to miss reps. Don’t put the safety pins too low either or you’ll have to lean forward or fall backwards to get the bar on the pins. This is a guaranteed way to hurt your lower back or tailbone. Set the pins just below where you break parallel.

When you fail to Squat the weight up, lower the bar to the pins by Squatting straight down. Don’t drop it forward or back or you’ll lose balance. Keep the bar over your mid-foot and Squat back down. Go below parallel until the bar lands on the safety pins. Expect a hard stretch of your hip muscles. Practice failing with a light weight a few times on purpose. This way you know what to expect when you really need to fail.

You don’t need a spotter if you Squat in the Power Rack. Even if you have a spotter, it’s safer to Squat in the Power Rack. If the spotter reacts too late, the pins always catch the bar. Knowing you’re safe increases confidence by overcoming fear. You can Squat all out instead of holding yourself back. Your Squat increases faster as a result, and you gain strength and muscle faster. Here are some Power Racks I recommend…

• Atlas Power Rack. Cheap but no free shipping. 4.8 stars reviews on Amazon.

• Rep Fitness. Great Power Rack from the price – handles 700lb and comes with two pullup bars, flat bench and Dips attachments. 4.9 stars (they also have a Squat Rack that takes less space – link).

• PowerLine PPR200X. Handles 600lb, outside uprights, safety pins, pullup bar. But too short to Overhead Press. 4.6 stars. Free shipping.

• Body-solid Pro. Handles 1000lb, pullup bar, but costs more than PowerLine PPR200X. Similar rack to mine.

• Titan Power Rack. Handles 700lb, 28 holes, chin-up bar, less than $300.

• Rogue R3. High quality with pullup bar. But expensive and you must bolt it down.

• Rogue R4. Deluxe version of the R3. Most expensive but no need to bold it down.

• Short Power Rack. Fits under low 6? ceilings.

I’ve been Squatting mostly alone in my home gym since 11 years. I’ve failed many times with heavy weights. But I’ve always been safe because I Squat in the Power Rack. Squatting without Power Rack is unsafe unless you have a spotter who knows what he’s doing. Squatting without Power Rack or spotter is unsafe,. Worse, it will limit your progress on Stronglifts 5×5 because you can’t Squat heavy to gain strength and muscle.

Unfortunately, not all gyms have Power Racks. You may have to find a better gym that has one. Or you may have to buy your own Power Rack, put it in your garage, basement or shed, and build a home gym as I’ve done. This takes time, effort and cash. But it takes less of it than trying to gain strength and muscle without doing Squats. Because no substitute to the Squat exists. Get access to a Power Rack so you can Squat.

Power Rack Alternatives

Squat Racks look like a half Power Rack. They have uprights to safely get the bar on and off your upper-back. But they don’t always have horizontal safety pins. The one that do often have non-adjustable safety pins that can be too high or low for your build. I used a Squat Rack the first five years when I trained in a gym. It works fine if you know what you’re doing. But the Power Rack is safer for Squatting heavy alone.

Squat Stands are two vertical poles with uprights. They’re usually not connected so you can easily move them and save space. But Squat Stands rarely have stable safety pins. They’re made for experienced Olympic Lifters who use bumper plates and throw the bar on the floor when they fail. You’ll get the bar on your back with Squat Stands. The Issue is getting away from the bar when you fail to Squat without spotter or safety pins.

Saw horses can serve as safety pins for your Squat Stands. You can get adjustable ones that handle 450kg/1000lb in most hardware stores (they’re cheap). Put the pair next to your Squat Stands to catch the bar if you fail. Just make sure the bar doesn’t roll off the safety pins and crash on your floor. Squatting with Squat Stands and saw horses works if you know what you’re doing. But again, using the Power Rack is always safer.

Cleaning the bar doesn’t work. You can pull light weights from the floor to your shoulders and even behind your head. But the heavier the weight, the harder it will be to clean and the more this will limit your Squat. You’ll be tired before you even Squat, or fail to clean the bar. Whatever you clean, you can Squat more. So you’re never Squatting heavy. And you never have safety pins to catch the bar if you fail to Squat the weight up.

Don’t Use Machines. Squatting in the Smith Machine forces you into a fixed bar path because the bar is attached on rails. This can hurt your lower back and knees. It’s also ineffective to gain strength and muscle fast because the machine balances the weight. Same deal with the Leg Press, plus the weight moves, you don’t. Machines are no substitutes for Squatting heavy with free weights. Don’t expect the same results.

Olympic Barbell

Squat with an Olympic Barbell. It’s the long and heavy one: 2m20/7′ and 20kg/45lb. The main part is 28mm thick, the outer part 50mm/2″. The bar has knurling for your hands and center knurling for your upper-back. it gives you a solid grip and prevents the bar from moving up or down your back when you Squat. Olympic Power Bars are stiff and don’t bounce around. They can easily handle 450kg/1000lb of weight.

The sleeves of Olympic Barbells rotate. The outside part where you put the plates on can rotate independently from the bar. This is crucial because the plates spin when you Squat. If the sleeves are fixed, the inner part can’t turn. This beats up your wrists, elbows and shoulders. Squatting with an Olympic Barbell with revolving sleeves is better for your joints. Oil and maintain it will so the sleeves rotate properly.

Many gyms have cheap bars because quality ones are expensive. Cheap bars are often lighter and shorter. They may weigh only 10-15kg (20-30lb) and bend when you load two big plates on each side. They’re often smooth in the middle which causes the bar to move around when you Squat. And the sleeves can be fixed which causes wrist, elbows and shoulder pain. The heavier you Squat, the more cheap bars become an issue.

Quality bars make a difference. They feel more secure. They don’t bend as quickly. They don’t stress your joints. They don’t make you wonder mid-set if the bar will break in two while you Squat. You have beter form because the bar doesn’t move around. You have more confidence because you feel safe about your equipment. Squats are intimidating. You don’t want to make it worse by using cheap equipment that feels unsafe.

Quality barbells are expensive. But they last a lifetime. The first bar I bought, I used for ten years in a garage where it freezes and gets humid. The bar handled it fine. I gave this bar to my brother for his home gym. He can use it for another 10 years. Buy a quality bar and you’ll only need to buy one ever. You’ll use it every StrongLifts 5×5 workout, for every exercise, so don’t be cheap. Check these barbells…

Collar your bar so your plates can’t move while you Squat. Some bars have slippery sleeves on which the plates move more easily. You don’t want a plate to slide off the bar mid-set, tip it over and then end with a lower back injury. Put spring clips or lock-jaw collars on your bar when you Squat. I put them on for every set, including my warmup sets, because I hate the distraction of hearing plates move.

You don’t need a foam pad or manta ray. If your neck hurts when you Squat, you’re holding the bar wrong. Your muscles must support the bar so it can’t dig into your spine. Squeeze your shoulder-blades before you unrack the bar. If you do it right, you’ll be able to Squat 180kg/400lb and more wearing just a T-shirt as I’ve done. Don’t mask neck pain with band-aid solutions and then keep Squatting with bad form.

Squat Variations

Olympic Squat

The Olympic Squat is a Squat with a high bar position. The bar rests higher on your back, at the bottom of your neck, on top of your trap muscles. This puts your torso more upright to keep the bar balanced over your mid-foot. Your knees come more forward as a result and your hips are less back. Olympic Weight Lifters Squat high bar because it mimics the catch during cleans. Bodybuilders usually also Squat high bar.

The Olympic Squat is easier on your shoulders because the bar rests higher. For some people this is the only way to Squat without shoulder, wrist or elbow pain. If the low bar Squat hurts despite using proper form, widening your grip and working on your shoulder flexibility, then Squat high bar. You need to Squat to gain strength and muscle. Squatting high bar is better than not Squatting and doing leg extensions instead.

But the low bar Squat is better to Squat as heavy as you can. You’ll Squat 10-20% more weight because you can engage your hips more and keep your chest up more easily. That’s why Powerlifters always Squat low bar. Olympic Lifters don’t Squat low bar because the Squat is not a contested lift for them. They Squat to improve their Snatch and Clean & Jerk. They don’t Squat to increase their Squat, unlike Powerlifters do.

If your main goal is to gain muscle, any heavy Back Squatting is fine. It’s true high bar Squats work your quads more while low bar works your hips more. But the difference is insignificant. Your quads and hips always work. And your legs will become muscular if you Squat heavy. Low bar may be better because you can go heavier, high bar because the range of motion is longer. But any Back Squatting beats not Back Squatting.

Some people prefer to Squat high bar because it keeps their torso more upright. They’re afraid of the forward lean during low bar Squats. But your torso will lean forward too during heavy high bar Squats. The bar is higher on your back which makes it harder to keep your chest up. The low bar Squat has more forward lean. But it’s easier to keep your chest up, upper-back tight and back angle constant than with high bar Squats.

I did high bar Squats when I started lifting. It was the natural way to hold the bar on my back. When I became interested in training for strength five years later, I switched to the low bar Squat powerlifters do. I’m not a powerlifter but I like to Squat heavy. I can Squat heavier low bar than high bar. That’s why I’ve spent the past ten years Squatting low bar. I rarely Squat high bar these days. I only Squat low bar.

Don’t alternate low bar with high bar Squats. You’ll get confused because technique is different. Low bar Squats is more forward lean, more hips back, less knee forward. High Squats is more upright torso, knees more forward, hips less back. The fastest way to master proper form is to choose one style and practice it each workout. That’s specificity. Once you can Squat 140kg/300lb, you can add variety if you want.

Ass-to-Grass Squat

Ass-to-Grass or ATG Squats is Squatting all the way down until your butt touches your ankles. This works your muscles through a longer range of motion. Olympic Weight Lifters Squat ATG and sometimes pause at the bottom. This mimics the catch during heavy Squat cleans. Powerlifters don’t Squat Ass-to-Grass because the lower you go below parallel, the less weight you’ll Squat. They must Squat the heaviest possible to win.

Here’s a video of the Weight Lifter Dimitry Klokov Squatting Ass-to-Grass. He Squats all the way down and even pauses. The bar rests high on his back (high bar) which is the only way to Squat ATG. He wears knee wraps, most likely to absorb some of the weight (check how bent his knees are at the bottom). His torso is vertical at the bottom, but he leans forward on the way up to engage his stronger hips while keeping his chest up.

Most people don’t have the hip flexibility and structure to Squat Ass-to-Grass with proper form like Klokov does. Your lower back will most likely round at the bottom (some call this the “butt wink”). Rounding your spine when it’s loaded squeezes your lower back discs and can herniate them. Your knees can also take a beating with ATG Squats if you drop down fast and rebound off your knee joints instead of your muscles.

Don’t Squat ATG. You should use a full range of motion by Squatting down until your hip crease is below the top of your knees. But don’t go deeper. Break parallel and come back up. You’ll Squat heavier. If you want to stretch your hips, do deep Toddler Squats separately. If you insist on Squatting ATG, go high bar and wear weight lifting shoes. You’ll go deep more easily and your heels will stay down. But watch your back and knees.

Front Squat

Front Squats are Squats where the bar rests on your front shoulders. Your torso is more vertical to keep the bar balanced over your mid-foot. Your knees come more forward and your shins end more incline than on a Back Squat. But your hips move less back. Olympic Weight Lifters Front Squat because this movement is part of the Squat clean. Bodybuilders also often Front Squat to “target their quads” but using a cross-arm grip.

Here’s Dmitry Klokov doing Front Squats with 265kg/583lb. He uses a clean grip. His hands are open so his shoulders support the weight, not his hands. He Squats down until his hip crease is below the top of his knees. He wears knee and wrists wraps to absorb some of the weight (his elbows are quite low, yours would most likely hurt if you try this without wrist wraps). His torso stays upright to keep the bar on his shoulders.

Front Squats are harder on the knees, elbows and wrists than Back Squats. Your knees move more forward at the bottom to keep the bar balanced over your mid-foot. Your elbows are fully bent and your wrists stretched back. Front Squats are a bad idea if you’ve had knee pain or knee surgery in the past. Your wrists and elbows will hurt if they’re tight (unless you start stretching the hell out of them daily).

You can overcome tight wrists by Front Squatting with a crossed-arm grip. This is the grip bodybuilders typically use. But it makes it harder to keep your elbows up. If they drop, your chest collapses and back rounds. The bar then rolls off your shoulders and pulls you forward. You lean forward and lose the bar. Olympic Lifters use the clean grip because it’s easier to Front Squat heavy. You just need to stretch your wrists.

Front Squats feel harder than Back Squats because the bar is harder to hold. Your chest and elbows must stay up to keep it on your shoulders. But you’ll want to lean forward during heavy sets to engage your hips. Do it too much, and you’ll lose the bar. You can lean forward more easily without losing the bar on Back Squats (especially low bar). That’s why you can easily Back Squat 30% more than you can Front Squat.

Front Squats work your quads more than Back Squats. Your knees are more forward and bent at the bottom. But this is also why Front Squats are harder on your knees than Back Squats. Plus it’s not like Back Squats don’t work your quads. They do. Your legs bend and straighten on every rep when you Back Squat. This works your quad muscles without the more stressful forward knee position of Front Squats.

Your Back Squat won’t increase if you only Front Squat. I tried it years ago. I Front Squatted 3x/week for months. Ran Smolov for Front Squats even. My Front Squat increased but my Back Squat hardly did. It doesn’t matter if Front Squats feel harder. It’s not the same and not specific. if you want to get better at tennis, you must play tennis not badminton. If you want to get better at Back Squats, Back Squat. Don’t Front Squat only.

Some people Front Squat because they don’t have a Power Rack. They pull the bar from the floor on their front shoulders and then Front Squat it. This works but only for a while. Eventually the weight becomes too heavy to pull on your shoulders. The clean limits how hard you can work your muscles by Squatting. You can’t reach your potential. Even if you can clean everything, you’ll always Back Squat more with a Power Rack.

Front Squats are no substitute for Back Squats. Back Squats must be the backbone of your training (cfr StrongLifts 5×5). Focus on Back Squats until you can do 140kg/300lb. Don’t alternate with Front Squats, form is different and you’ll get confused. If you’re cleaning the bar to Squat, get a Power Rack so you can Back Squat heavy and reach your potential. Once you’re strong at Back Squats, you can add Front Squats for variety.

Box Squat

Box Squats are Squats where you sit on a box and Squat back up. The box helps you break parallel consistently and prevents Squatting too low. It also helps you sit back more to emphasize your hips without losing balance. Louie Simmons from Westside Barbell popularized Box Squats in the 1990s. Geared powerlifers Box Squat because it mimics Squatting in compression Squat suits which stretch at the bottom and help the way up.

But Box Squats don’t work for raw lifters like us because technique is different. Your shins are more vertical on Box Squats and the box is holding you at the bottom. With free Squats your shins come more forward and your hips must stay tight at the bottom. If you never free Squat but only Box Squat, you’ll lose balance and get crushed by the weight when you try to free Squat. You must free Squat to get better at free Squats.

I made this mistake. After that Front Squat experiment, I spent months Box Squatting only, Westside style. My Box Squat increased so I tested my Free Squat. I expected it to be higher than my Box Squat. But to my surprise I never got close to what I was Box Squatting. I couldn’t stay tight in the bottom, got crushed by the weight and it dropped on the pins. I was weaker on free Squats because I never did them. Lack of specific training.

The box is also a bad tool to break parallel consistently. It only works as long as you use it. Try to Squat without and you’re lost. Because the box makes you rely on contact with an external object to judge depth. It doesn’t teach you to focus on how your muscles feel when you break parallel, and then remember it. That only comes by doing free Squats consistently. Videotape yourself if you want feedback. But don’t use a box.

Box Squats are no substitute for Back Squats. They won’t make you better at Back Squats because technique is different. They won’t teach you to break parallel consistently because the box becomes a crutch. They might help to target your hips but most people don’t need to do this. They just need to increase their Squat. Because stronger Squats is stronger hips. And fast and most effective way to increase your Squat is to Squat.

Smith Squat

Smith Squats are Squats inside the smith machine. The bar is attached on rails and the machine balances it for you. The bar can only move up and down although some gyms have newer 3D Smith Machines that allow some horizontal bar movement. The bar of the smith machine has hooks to rack and unrack the weight by rotating your hands. Bodybuilding legend Jack Lalanne invented the Smith Machine in the 1950s.

Smith Squats are no substitute for Squatting free weights. Smith Squats are less effective for gaining strength and muscle because the machine balances the weight. That’s why people can Smith Squat more than with free weights. Worse, Smith Squats are dangerous for your spine and joints. You don’t decide where the bar goes, the machine does. it can force your body into unnatural movements that cause injuries.

I started Squatting on the Smith Machine when I joined the gym because that’s what everyone did. I did them every week for a year and tried to go heavier each time. One day the Smith Machine was taken and my training partner and I didn’t want to wait. So we decided to do free Squats in the Squat Rack that was gathering dust. To our surprise, we couldn’t Squat what we did in the Smith. I never did Smith Squats again after that.

Maybe you want to do Smith Squats because you’re intimidated by free weights. Smith Squats first, real Squats later. But this is like using training wheels to learn how to ride a bike. And it’s equally ineffective because you learn to depend on a machine. The only way to learn how to balance the weight is by balancing it yourself. The only way to get comfortable Squatting free weights is by Squatting free weights. This is the shortcut.

Leg Press

The Leg Press is a machine where you push weight away with your feet. Some Leg Press machines are 45° incline, others are horizontal. But they’re never substitutes for Squats. The weight moves, you don’t. You don’t balance the weight, the machine does. Go too deep and your lower back will round at the bottom and squeeze your spinal discs. Unless you have no arms to hold the bar on your back, stick with free weight Squats.

Dumbbell Squat

Dumbbell Squats are Squats with dumbbells. Hold them on your front shoulders and Squat. Benefit: you don’t need a Power Rack. Drawback: you can’t go heavy. Holding 50kg on each shoulder is harder than a 100kg bar on your back. And you must get those dumbbells on your shoulders first. Progression is also harder because most dumbbells go up by 2kg/5lb. This forces you to add 4kg/10lb each workout vs 2.5kg/5lb with barbells.

You could hold the dumbbells by your side. But this turns Dumbbell Squats into Dumbbell Deadlifts. Because dumbbells hit the floor before you can break parallel. Your hips can’t go below your knees. You can’t work your legs and body through a full range of motion unlike when you Squat with a bar on you back. You’re doing half Squats instead. And your grip will fail before your legs do unless you use straps.

Dumbbell Squats are better than doing nothing. If you never did any physical activity in your life and are out of shape, they’ll give your body some work to do. But dumbbells eventually become easy and they make it hard to Squat heavy. That’s why they’re no substitute for Squatting barbells If you Squat dumbbells anyway, don’t expect to gain strength and muscle and progress like someone who Squat heavy barbells.

Frequently Asked Questions?

How can I Squat more weight?

If you want to Squat bigger weights, here’s what you should do:

1. Squat low bar. Use a lower bar position, where the bar sits at the top of your shoulder-blades. This instantly allows you to Squat at least 10% more weight.
2. Use a belt. Wear a weight lifting belt that is the same width all around. This increases torso strength by giving your abs something to push against. Another 10% increase.
3. Use the Power Rack. And set the safety pins to catch the weights. This increases confidence under the bar so you go after more reps without being afraid of failure.
4. Do Pause Squats. Once do Squats where you stop at the bottom for two seconds before coming back up. This builds strength in the hardest part of the Squat.
5. Improve your form. The more effective your form, the shorter the movement and the more muscles engaged. Tape yourself and improve your form.

How can I increase my Squat Max?

If you Squat mostly sets of five or eight reps, and you want to increase your 1 repetition max, then you need to do more singles (sets of one reps).

The easiest way is to do a heavy single before you do your sets of fives. Warmup, work towards a heavy single, then lower the weight and do your sets of fives.

Doing more singles will get you used to unracking and Squatting heavier weights. Your skill will improve which will increase your Squat max.

How many times a week should I Squat?

At least two times a week, ideally two times. One time is not enough as that’s not enough practice. It’s hard to improve your Squat technique when you only do it once a week. Twice a week is better as you get double the practice. I Squat three times a week.

How many reps should I do on Squats?

Beginners who Squat less than 140kg/300lb and want to get stronger fast, should focus on Squatting mostly sets of five reps. Check my StrongLifts 5×5 workout for an example.

How do I achieve perfect Squat form?

Do Squats as often as you can, ideally three times a week. Record your Squats so you can see what you’re doing. Review your form against the tips in this article. Correct mistakes that you find yourself doing.

Do Squats make your bum bigger?

Squats work your legs, including your butt and things. Those muscles will get stronger and bigger from Squatting bigger weights. Most guys find they have to buy bigger jeans after a few months, as their previous pair got tight around the thighs (but loose at the belly).

Do Squats make your hips wider?

No. Hip width is determined by your bone structure. There’s not much muscles on the sides of your hips. Nothing can get bigger there. Your glutes will get bigger, but they mostly grow to the back, not the sides. Most guys find their waist decrease from Squatting (because their abs get stronger). Squat don’t cause wide hips – that’s a myth.

What can I do instead of Squats?

You can do high bar squats if low bar squats hurt your shoulders.

But not exercise works your body through the same range of motion and with maximal weights like Squats. Substituting Squats will always mean working with less weight (glute bridges, lunges, dumbbell Squat), a shorter range of motion (Deadlifts) or without the need for balance (Smith Squats, leg press).

There’s no substitute for Squats. That’s why Squats are king for strength and size.

Can you do Squats if you have bad knees?

Many guys with bad knees have told me their knees feel better since they started to Squat. This s because Squats strengthen your leg muscles which provides your knee joint more support. The key is to start light, use proper form, and progress slowly (check StrongLifts 5×5). As long as your knees feel fine, keep going.

Wearing knee sleeves for Squats can help you if you have bad knees. The knee sleeves will keep your knee joint warm, and lubricate them. Knee sleeves can also act like mental support, making you more confident to Squat.

Why do my knees pop when I Squat?

Nothing to worry about. It’s like when you crack your knuckles. Just gas bubbles popping in your joint form the change in pressure. There is no evidence that popping joints will cause arthritis. My knees, shoulders and back pop sometimes when I lift. It’s not an issue. Just warmup properly, and make sure you Squat with proper form.

What if I hate Squats?

Squat more. Most people who hate Squats are bad at Squats. That’s why they hate Squatting. So they avoid Squatting which makes them hate Squats even more. Because you can’t get good at Squats if you don’t Squats. You have to Squat to get better at Squat.

Rule of thumb: whenever you hate an exercise, that probably means you’re not good at it. The proper response is to do that exercise more until you get better at it. Your technique will improve, your strength will improve, and this will make you start enjoying it.

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