Squats. The most complete guide

Metroflex. Powerlifting Guide: Squats.

Squats are an important exercise in any exercise, let alone the process of bringing your body to perfection. Here they are honored and respected guests.

What it is?

Bodybuilders and powerlifters squat with a barbell on their shoulders. And they don’t just squat, but consider, and quite rightly, this exercise to be basic. It is the best that is currently available. And all thanks to the fact that it:

• Capable of working the entire body.
• Improves the health and functioning of internal organs.
• Increases energy.
• Helps quickly build muscle mass.

In this exercise, a person is able to lift as much weight as possible. If we talk about world records, then the mark here is moving towards 500 kg, there are even recorded cases when the weight was higher. What can we say – squats are very effective, especially these ones. And one more important detail: today, most athletes’ workouts are aimed at producing natural testosterone, which can be released into the body through exercise. Which one do you think will produce the maximum release? That's right, from squats.

What muscles work and what is the result?

As we have already mentioned, almost all muscles of the body are involved in such an exercise: some to a greater extent, some to a lesser extent. Classic squats with a barbell work the quadriceps, hip adductors, soleus muscles, and also help the gluteus maximus muscles. In addition, a serious load is placed on the back extensors, abs, as well as on the small muscles of the legs and torso.

If you spread your legs wider, the thigh muscles will be more involved in the work; if you bring your legs together, the outer thigh muscles will work more actively. The deeper you squat, the more actively your legs will be able to work. And that means getting mass. They cannot influence their shape. If you squat shallowly, you can correct the shape of your hips.

Today there are three types of barbell squats, which need to be alternated so as not to overstrain one or more muscle groups. Such exercises are: weightlifting, powerlifting and bodybuilding. The first ones are the deepest; to perform them requires the most significant effort; the lower this squat is performed, the better. The second type is performed to parallel or slightly lower - in this case the gluteal muscle will work to a greater extent. The third option is squats above parallel, in which case the main emphasis is on pumping the hips. If classes are carried out unprofessionally, then powerlifting classes are considered optimal.

The best option is if the exercises are not duplicated. This means that at the beginning of the week, when the weekend has just passed and there is a lot of energy and strength, you can work harder. Towards the end of the seven-day period, a light warm-up will be enough. It follows from this that heavy squatting exercises aimed at gaining mass and improving results should be moved to the beginning of the week. Light warm-up exercises, aimed at the technical component, at the end of the week.

The benefits of squats are obvious, as are the results. By performing the exercises correctly, you can get:

• Helps burn fat and improve joint health.
• Squats are functional, as they can pump up a lot of things and have a beneficial effect on the entire body.
• Being able to stay mobile is one of the best exercises for your health.
• Improved coordination and training results.
• Preventing injury.
• Development of the central muscles of the body.
• Practicality of classes - this will make it easier to carry out everyday work, namely: work in the fresh air, play outdoor games with children, etc.
• Since there are different variations of the same exercise, different muscles can be used.
• Development of strength qualities, excellent load for the back of the legs.

Execution technique

Before analyzing the squat technique, you need to know some rules, or rather one thing - the most important thing. If you want to lift heavy weights, you need strong legs. You need to start with a minimum weight, and gradually increase it as you gain weight. Also, do not forget about parallel pumping of the back. This is the only way you can avoid overexerting yourself on squats, but get the maximum effect from them.

The exercise has no competitors in terms of the effectiveness obtained as a result: thus, when performed, the mass and strength of all four heads in the quadriceps are increased. There are some peculiarities here. During the squat, it is necessary to control the chest, namely, its protrusion forward, while the shoulders should be turned. By performing each subsequent squat in this manner, you will get rid of the habit of leaning forward too much. Most often, this is easier to do for an athlete with short stature, but in any case, the tilt should be made as small as possible.

Execution sequence:

• Go to the rack and grab the bar with a medium grip, that is, slightly wider than shoulder width.
• Strain your back and lift the barbell from the rack.
• Be sure to firmly rest your entire foot on the floor.
• Raise your head, straight back, squat as deeply as possible until the upper thigh is parallel to the floor.
• If you initially do the “feet-width-width” stance, you will be able to use your quadriceps as much as possible.

Powerlifting or strength squats

This type will work the lower body (gluteal psoas and internal quadriceps). With its help, you can best round your buttocks, as well as work with heavy weights and use the maximum number of muscles. Features of its implementation guarantee minimal stress on the knees. But there are special requirements for the lower body, more precisely for the back muscles. Technique:

• Walk up to the barbell and grab the bar with a close grip, meaning your thumbs are slightly wider than your shoulders.
• Place the bar on your back, 10 cm lower than in the first option.
• The legs should be turned out so that the toes form an outer angle of about 45 degrees.
• Move your pelvis down and back, while watching your knees: they should not move forward, the body is slightly tilted.
• When reaching the lowest point, the body tilt should be 45 degrees, the back should be straight, and the pelvis should be laid back as much as possible.
• If everything is done correctly, then the main emphasis will not be on the entire leg, but on the heels.

It is necessary to perform a half squat in a power rack. We won’t talk much about the technique here, we’ll just tell you that everything is identical to the first option, only here you need to squat to a third of the amplitude.

Injuries and common mistakes

Naturally, when weights are used, injuries can occur, especially due to incorrect execution. Such squats have a negative impact on the knees and spine. There is also information about the effect of back squats on stretching the tendons of the knees, but the reliability of this fact can be doubted. One thing is clear: when the knees are heavily overloaded, wear occurs on the cartilaginous surface of the joints, which is fraught with inflammation and pain.

Now let’s look at typical mistakes that, in fact, lead to injury. Here they are:

• Incorrect bar position. If you place it too high on the trapezius, a lever will be created at the base of the neck, which will deviate the body from the correct trajectory
• Incorrect grip - it must be done exactly as required by the technique.
• Walking with a barbell - if you are working with a rack, you should not move very far from it, a distance that will not interfere with squatting is enough, especially if the weight is heavy.
• The head is too raised - you don’t need to tilt your head back - this will distort the pose. Look straight ahead, making sure your jaw is parallel to the floor.
• The position of the legs - the correct position - is shoulder-width apart, but here you need to make allowances for the characteristics of the athlete's figure. There is one rule here: the stronger and more powerful the legs, the wider you can place them. There is another pattern - the wider the stance, the more you need to turn your toes to the sides.
• Leaning forward - this happens with incorrect technique, too weak back muscles and low ankle flexibility.
• Lowering quickly - under no circumstances should you make a jerk; this problem most often plagues beginners.

Knee movement - It is important that it is not the knees that move forward, but the hips when lowering.

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For those who want to pump up their leg muscles, exercise squats with a barbell on your shoulders will be a real godsend. During the training, you will not only pump up your buttocks, hamstrings and quadriceps, but also develop the strength of your back, abs and shoulders.

What muscles are involved?

The exercise is based on the development of leg muscles, in particular:

• gluteal muscles;
• quadriceps;
• soleus muscles;
• femoral adductors.

In addition to the main group, stabilizers also work:

• spinal extensors;
• hamstring biceps (detailed exercises for this muscle group);
• calf muscles;
• abdominal muscles: both straight and oblique press;
• other muscles of the body.

There is also a direct connection between the position of the body and the work of certain muscles. The dependence is shown in the table:

The squat with a barbell on the shoulders has three variations:

• weightlifting;
• powerlifting;
• bodybuilding.

The first involves the deepest possible squat, the second - up to parallel with the floor, and the third - above parallel. The load is distributed accordingly: from the legs and back through the buttocks to the hips. Therefore, for maximum training effectiveness, it is recommended to alternate all these variations.

The benefits of the element are invaluable. Today it is relevant not only for bodybuilding and powerlifting, but also for people simply involved in sports. Men can build back and leg muscles. Squats with a barbell on the shoulders for girls will allow you to achieve beautiful and elastic buttocks and attractive hip shape.

It is in this exercise that the athlete can take the maximum weight. The element works out absolutely the entire body to one degree or another.

The list of benefits of exercise can include:

1. Building muscle mass
2. Promote Fat Burning
3. Improved joint condition
4. Increased energy and mobility
5. Improved motor coordination
6. Increases flexibility and prevents injury.

Exercise technique

Despite its apparent ease, a squat with a barbell on the shoulders is considered one of the most labor-intensive elements. If the execution technique is incorrect, you can not only fail to achieve the goal, but, on the contrary, injure your legs, back or lumbar region. Therefore, beginners are recommended to practice the technique of performing the element without weights, and then gradually add load. We must not forget about the pre-warm-up warm-up for the whole body.

The technique for doing squats with a barbell on your shoulders is as follows.

Preparatory stage

Before you start squats, you need to prepare. To do this you need a rack with a barbell. The latter must be set according to your height. Vulture should not be located low or high: it should be convenient and comfortable to work with.

Movement

Step 1. We go under the bar and place it on our trapezes.

Step 2. We bend in the lumbar region and remove the barbell from the rack.

Step 3. Take a step back and place your feet shoulder-width apart. The back is tense, the shoulder blades are bent, the elbows are pulled back.

Step 4. As you inhale, we begin a slow, controlled squat. Make sure that your knees do not go beyond your toes.

Step 5. As you exhale, we begin to rise upward.

We do the required number of repetitions.

During the training you need to pay attention to the following points:

1. The back should always be arched. Rounding it may cause injury.
2. Your gaze should always be directed straight ahead.
3. The pelvis must be pulled back in a squat.
4. You need to sit down slowly and rise faster, making a short stop at the bottom point.
5. You cannot fully straighten your legs at the lifting point, otherwise the load will transfer to the knee joints.
6. The main tension in a squat should be through the heels of the feet, not through the toes.
7. The knees in a squat should be turned outward, not brought together.

An alternative to classic squats with a barbell on your shoulders

The classic back squat is not unique in its kind. The following types of exercise are known:

1. Squats on a bench or chair. The element is useful for practicing the technique of performing classic squats. It is also useful for practicing dynamic ascents from the bottom. For training, you will need a chair of such a height that when sitting, your thighs form parallel to the floor. The entire foot should be on the floor.
2. Squats with wide stance - sumo. This version of squats works well on the inner thigh. The element is useful for those whose knees are brought together in classic squats. During the training, you need to place your feet wider than your shoulders and turn your toes 120 degrees. The element allows you to take more weight than with classic squats.
3. Front squats are front squats. Here the load on the quadriceps increases. The bar is placed on the chest and shoulders and clasped crosswise with the arms. The feet can be positioned a little narrower than with classic squats. When doing front squats, you need to pay special attention to the forward tilt of the body - here it should be minimal, otherwise there is a risk of falling forward. The weight in this element should be less than with classic squats.
4. Overhead squats. The element adds stress to the upper body. The exercise is considered traumatic, so it is recommended to start mastering it with light weights. During the training, the bar is taken wide grip and rises above your head. During a squat, your arms should not leave the plane perpendicular to the floor.
5. Split squats. This option is indispensable for athletes with spinal problems. The element is a combination of a squat and lunge. Those. Before squatting, you need to put one leg forward, making a lunge. In this case, the toe of the front leg must be turned slightly inward, and the toe of the rear leg must be turned outward. In this position, the body will be more stabilized.
6. Squats with narrow leg stance. These are the same classic squats, but the legs are not shoulder-width apart, but narrowly, due to which the load is placed on the quadriceps. The peculiarity of the element is that with such a position of the legs it will not be possible to work at full strength, i.e. It is impossible to squat to full amplitude in this position.
7. Squat with a barbell on the shoulders in a Smith machine. The peculiarity of the element is that the bar moves only along a certain trajectory, due to which the practitioner will not make mistakes that he can make with regular squats. The exercise machine also allows you to stick your feet slightly forward and thereby remove the load from the lower back.
8. Sissy squats. A rare technique, the purpose of which is to work out the lower part of the thighs. The technique of the exercise is that to maintain balance, you need to grab a support with one hand, and when performing a squat, you need to rise on your toes, move your pelvis forward, and your shoulders and head back. The legs are bent until the knees almost touch the floor and the heels almost touch the buttocks.
9. Plie squats with a dumbbell. In this element, we replace the barbell with a dumbbell, spread our legs wide, and turn our toes to the sides. During the squat, your back should remain perfectly straight.
10. Hack squats. These squats are performed in a special machine that is aimed at developing the buttocks and thighs. The trajectory of movement is set, you just need to rise and fall. The element reduces the load on the spine.

Common mistakes

During training, if the technique is incorrect, various types of injuries can occur. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid the following common mistakes:

• incorrect position of the neck;
• incorrect grip;
• walking with the barbell far from the rack;
• raised or lowered head;
• incorrect leg position;
• leaning forward or rounded back;
• fast lowering;
• lifting heels off the floor;
• bringing your knees behind your toes.

Conclusion

Back squats are an excellent exercise for working all the muscles of the body, especially the legs, buttocks and back. More weight allows you to increase the load and get the maximum effect from the training. But in order to avoid injury, the element requires compliance with all safety measures and correct execution technique.

Squats are one of the best basic exercises for working the entire body. In particular, back squats are beneficial for developing the gluteal and thigh muscles. When performing the exercise, the athlete squats with a barbell on his shoulders, and then stands up and returns to his original standing position.
Squats with a barbell are considered one of the most important exercises not only in strength sports, but also in regular general physical training. You can perform squats with free weights, or you can do them in a special simulator - a Smith machine. Depending on the version of the exercise, the main emphasis of the load changes:

• the “feet shoulder-width apart” stance will help in the overall development of the quadriceps;
• wider position of the feet increases the load on the inner thighs;
• Narrower foot placement places stress on the outer thighs.

Exercise technique:
being in the starting position, while inhaling, begin to slowly squat, bending your knees and moving your pelvis back. A full squat is a squat when the angle between the thigh and shin becomes straight (90°);
The knees should never go beyond the toes of the feet, and the back should not be rounded. Maintain an arch in your lower back;
after performing a squat, as you exhale, push off the floor using the muscles of your buttocks and thighs and return to the starting position;
When lifting, press your entire foot firmly into the floor, without lifting your heel from the floor. Keep your back straight, do not tilt your body or bend your knees.

Watch a video about squats with a barbell on your shoulders:

The squat with a barbell on your shoulders is perhaps one of the best exercises that will help you develop your own body. When exercising with a barbell, muscles in all parts of the body are strengthened and grown, and you can also control the load by choosing the optimal amount of weight. In this article we will tell you how to perform effective exercises with a barbell.

You should start with a basic exercise, barbell squats.. But before that, you need to figure out how to squat correctly: this information may be necessary for those who have just begun to be interested in strength exercises.

At school and other educational institutions, during physical education lessons they often give the task: to sit down several dozen times. At the same time, as a rule, they do not monitor the execution technique and correct stance. Everyone performs the task as best they can. How to squat correctly?

These are the basic rules of squats. The main rule is not to try to lift heavy weights right away. Work with the weight that is most comfortable for you. If you cannot squat with the selected load ten times, under no circumstances should you hang more weights.

In fact, many people use the barbell squat as a warm-up.. And this is a great choice, especially on so-called leg day. The exercise is also suitable for regular training: during a squat, muscles such as quadriceps, hamstrings, buttocks, abdominal and back muscles are involved. The knees, shin and pelvis joints are strengthened. Additionally, the back squat is a great exercise for gaining mass.

Smith machine for barbell squats

As a rule, gyms always have a free bar and several weights for hanging. They can be placed on the floor, but this is not very convenient, so it is better to find a stand on which to place the bar. Thus, during the squat, you can place the bar on the supports at any time without asking for help. You can use this option, or you can try training on a special Smith simulator.

The Smith machine looks like this: it is a power rack with adjustable footrests. The barbell in it moves strictly along a given trajectory, so it is suitable for beginner athletes. Set the footrests to a comfortable height so you don't have to reach for the bar. They should be set just below shoulder level. Choose the appropriate grip width. Start the exercise.

Types of squats

Barbell squat for women and men

The main difference lies in motivation: as a rule, men go to the gym to increase muscle volume, and girls - to maintain tone and work on problem areas of the body. For this reason, men often use sports nutrition; their exercises are aimed at uniformly pumping the body, and men are physically stronger (with rare exceptions). For this reason, they will have more exercise variability and greater loads.

For example, the same squat with a barbell on the chest or with a narrow stance of the legs is very rarely practiced by girls. These exercises do not affect problem areas of the body, and they also require more physical preparation than the classic squat. However, female athletes very often choose barbell squats because this exercise develops the gluteal muscles. Sumo pose is great for pumping up the inner thighs.

In addition to the above differences, girls' bodies are designed differently. It is uncomfortable for them to hold the barbell on the back of the neck; they have much less soft tissue there than men. During exercises, it is better for girls to open their chest and shoulders wider to loosen their shoulders. In addition, there are soft bars - it is better for girls to choose one or place a towel under the bar to reduce the load.

Due to women's physiology, the knee is more susceptible to injury when squatting. It is undesirable to make mistakes in positioning your legs and performing the exercise.

The male half is stronger and more resilient than the girls. Their muscles grow faster, so it is important to pay attention to all muscle groups so that growth occurs evenly. Men can use heavier weights and use a wider range of exercises.

An exercise like the barbell squat is suitable for most people. However, there are exceptions: if there are problems with the joints of the ankle, knees or pelvis, it is better to consult a doctor before such a load. It is important that exercise is beneficial and not harmful. The trainer will answer all questions, and he will also show with an example how to do a squat correctly..

Don't be shy about asking for backup if you take on a new weight. Approach your training with diligence, then the result will not be long in coming.